Students and staff are back to school next week – and some families are eager to get back to some sense of normal, while others have really been enjoying the summer holidays with no set schedule. And then there are those families who will be starting the new school year in a new community, a new school and maybe their first bus ride.
Superintendent of Turtle Mountain School Division, Grant Wiesner, says for all the students, the first day of school with be a first-time adventure as they meet their new teachers, new desk and making new friends. And some of those friends will be from other towns, provinces or countries that adds to the rich atmosphere of learning about other cultures and traditions.
"I think it's so exciting to see the diverse student populations that we have in our schools and the different languages, the different cultures, the different background experiences that are coming in. And it's just, it's just neat to see those students come into our classrooms and learn, learn all together. And I think it's a real strength to have so many different cultures represented in our schools and yeah, and as we learn, learn together!"
But with all those firsts, students might be feeling anxious.
Wiesner shares some ways parents and guardians can help to mitigate those back-to-school jitters.
Building Confidence Before the First Bell Rings
Ideas for helping kids feel more in control and connected before stepping back into school life
"I think just returning to school is something that we know many families are thinking about right now, and I think most important is to be proactive," says Wiesner. "First and foremost, for a parent, I think their role is to just be supportive for their students. And you know, if students are a little bit nervous, just saying, “I hear that you're nervous,” and wondering about who they'll sit with at lunch — that might open the door for a good conversation with their child."
Re-establishing routines is also a good way to prepare for next week's early mornings, and that means consistent bedtime and morning routines. And this can start this week leading up to school making a huge difference for our students.
To help kids feel more confident for their first day in the classroom, they might be able to have a say over what lunch bag they're going to use, what's in their lunch, perhaps wearing a favorite shirt, "just to give them that sense of control as they're preparing. And again, for some of our new students, this is a first-time adventure," adds Wiesner.
"Another thing would be helping your child to connect with friends before school starts, if possible. Maybe a visit to the school playground — go to the brand new playground, especially if you live nearby. Just to get them comfortable again with being on the school grounds, in that school environment, and kind of getting ready for that first day," he says.
For older kids, Wiesner suggests talking about what they're looking forward to for this school year, what the new timetable might look like, what new courses they'll be taking, what changing classrooms is like.
"Again, the most important thing is just letting your child know that they have your support as a parent," he adds.
Fueling Young Minds: Why Nutrition Matters in the Classroom
From brain fog to growth spurts, healthy eating helps students stay focused, energized, and ready to learn
As our students need to be attentive, and at their best behavior, nutrition is an important aspect of school life. Not only are kids needing to curb a growling stomach but they can't afford to have brain fog during class time. Also, kids are in those serious growing years and need healthy food for healthy bones and a healthy body. And it's important to remember when kids are in a growth spurt, they will be more tired because their bodies are working hard, and they'll eat much more than usual.
Wiesner says the Province has a nutrition grant that school divisions are able to access, "and so that allows us to have like a breakfast program. So, when kids come in, there are carts in the schools where they can get muffins, granola bars, fruit, healthy options, just something so they're not starting the day on an empty stomach, and that they can have that energy that they need to learn."
"We also offer snacks throughout the day where students can go and again, if they're hungry, they can just go grab something and have a snack. And I think, yeah, the importance of nutrition and learning is vital to having a good learning environment in our schools and our classrooms," says Wiesner.
Safety First: What Every Student Should Know About Bus Etiquette
Staying seated, avoiding distractions, and respecting others help ensure a smooth ride for everyone — including the driver
"I think there are quite a few small things that just make for a much better bus riding experience," shares Wiesner. "One is to be punctual — know when your school bus will be arriving at your lane and be there, ready to get on that bus on time. Second, behave respectfully, just like in a classroom. There are 20 to 30 students on a school bus, so treating each other with respect makes for a much more enjoyable ride."
Students are to remain seated, as it's distracting for the driver to constantly have to look up and see people standing or moving around. When students are seated, it makes for a much easier and safer driving experience, says Wiesner.
Also, students are not to be eating or drinking on the bus — just for safety.
"And when getting on or off the bus, we have those extension arms to make sure students aren’t too close to the front of the bus. On the lane, make sure you’re not crowding where the bus is going. Children should give space for the bus, get on safely, and then also get off safely, moving away quickly and looking both ways before crossing the road," he explains.
Staying safe is also about the motorists and safe driving practices
"It’s very important to respect a school bus when that stop sign is out. As drivers, we need to stop because there are children getting on or off the bus. They are our top priority and getting them safely to and from school is so important," he says.
"Another thing is school zones," reminds Wiesner. "When the speed limit says 30, we need to slow to 30 and respect that, because again, there are students crossing the street and buses loading and unloading students. Being aware of when the speed changes and where those school zones are — and respecting that — is going to be important for a safe traveling experience for everyone in our school community."
It shouldn't take an RCMP car parked near a school zone to remind motorists to slow down and respect the 30 km speed limit.
"I think again, it's just being cognizant that there are children crossing the streets and those roads and keeping an eye out but also keeping your speed down to what's posted. And again, those speed zones are in effect from September to June and from 8:00 in the morning till 5:00 in the evening. It's very important to respect those because at any of those times there could be students crossing the road or buses coming with children to load and unload," explains Wiesner.
From Discipline to Dialogue: A Restorative Approach to School Behavior
Shifting from punishment to accountability helps students learn from mistakes and repair relationships
For some students returning to school means having to face that person who hasn't been the kindest. In fact, kids can be very mean to the point of bullying where a student is being targeted.
"Well, in Turtle Mountain School Division, we're very focused on creating a nurturing and a safe school environment," says Wiesner. "One of the things we've been doing that we started over the last couple of years is a program in our schools that we use called Second Step."
"And second step is a social emotional learning program, and it teaches children how to manage their emotions, how to show empathy and how to solve problems constructively. And again, the focus is on building a positive classroom community. Something else that we're going to be piloting in ten of our classrooms is something called restoration and restitution.
"Restitution is all about shifting from, I would say, a punishment-based approach of discipline to a restorative one and working on helping students do the right thing and how to make things right when a mistake is made. So, you know, instead of simply punishing a student, a teacher works with them to help them understand what happened, who is affected by their actions and what they can do to repair what happened. And that is all about personal accountability and fostering and building relationships."
"So, for example, if a student, say, is bullying or something like that, a conversation will be what can you do to fix this instead of just giving the student a detention. Now the whole goal of that is to teach responsibility and empathy."
"And again with what we do with Second Step and what we're going to be piling with restitution is it's like that proactive approach to helping kids really understand why they behave the way they do, what their needs are, and how they can meet those needs in a positive way. Yes, we're not going to accept or tolerate bullying, but what can we do to help students learn about themselves and their behaviors to prevent that from even happening in the first place."
"But you know, if a student is experiencing something they need to go talk to their classroom teacher or to administration, the principals and those things will be dealt with," he adds.
A Fresh Start: Welcoming Over 1,000 Students Back to School
Turtle Mountain School Division prepares for a vibrant year of learning, creativity, and growth across its communities
For Turtle Mountain School Division, just under 400 students will be attending Boissevain School for the 2025-26 school year, 597 students at Killarney School, and 46 for Minto. Including the students attending the Hutterite Colony schools TMSD will be seeing close to 1200 young people participate in learning in the fields of the Math and Sciences, the Arts of creative writing and the artistic world of creating pieces, the field of sports, competition and sportsmanship while building new skills.
"I always trying to prepare, for the start of a new school year," shares Grant Wiesner. "It's a fresh start for everyone. And I think I'm excited about working together, working together in classrooms, students and staff, working with families, working with our communities. Our schools have such welcoming and supportive environments where everyone can thrive.
"And I'm just I I'm encouraged by again the work and the collaboration that we have with families, with communities and just working so that we so that all staff, all students know that they are valued and supported. And so, I look forward to this year. I think it's going to be a great year, a great year of learning, a great year of fun and just a great year of being together in our schools!"