School divisions in the region are continuing to evaluate the effect of the Dunes West Wild Fire and the current evacuations has on their students.
In a statement to MyGrandePrairieNow.com on Monday, the Grande Prairie Public School Division says it is working with their schools, while division personnel are in contact with emergency management for both the County and the City of Grande Prairie.
“Our understanding is that our evacuated staff and students are either with friends and family or provided emergency accommodations,” the statement says. “To date, a small number of staff and students have been required to evacuate their homes.”
The statement adds the school division’s thoughts are with those in the community who have had to temporarily relocate. This is a similar sentiment Holy Family Catholic Regional Division Superintendent Betty Turpin shared in her statement to MyGrandePrairieNow.com.
“Once our students return to school, we will be in a better position to assess how we can best support them,” Turpin says. “In the meantime, we continue to pray for the safety and well-being of everyone impacted by these wildfires.”
According to the statement, the GPPSD has also opened their doors to any students from other communities who have been displaced by the wildfire. Officials say families with displaced students can call the closest GPPSD school to where they are living, or if they are unsure they can also call the GPPSD central office.