(File photo/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

School year approaching

North East School Division getting ready for upcoming school year

Aug 21, 2025 | 4:00 PM

As students prepare their back-to-school gear, so too is the North East School Division.

Director of Education Stacy Lair said a new school year beginning is always exciting.

The division has been working to sort out the transportation department as they were short mechanics, bus drivers, and buses. Lair said thankfully they have been able to see some success in closing those gaps.

“Last year we had a bit of a rocky start with transportation and our busing services,” Lair said, adding that contributions from staff and local communities have helped fill some of the driver and mechanic positions.

“That is starting in a great way for our families across the school division.”

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

Ferland earns Grey Cup ring

'A wonderful human being': High school coach thrilled Logan Ferland is a Grey Cup champion

Nov 17, 2025

Lair said facilities across the division are ready for students and staff, with teachers heading back to work next Wednesday. Students are back in the classroom Sept. 2.

Cellphone ban rules developed at schools across Saskatchewan last year, as the provincial government introduced a policy that restricted use of cellphones for K-12 students during class time, with exemptions for specific learning purposes. Lair said the division has had parents show their appreciation for developing and implementing the policy.

“We had a significant amount of parents reach out and express some appreciation for the work that we had done through the policy and through the guidance from teachers and schools to be able to give kids a reprieve, a break from being on their devices.”.

Lair said the policy helped give students a chance to regulate and focus on their learning in the classroom. Students also recognized things needed to change with their devices, according to Lair, and they appreciated that the change happened to everyone at the same time.

Meanwhile, the division continues its work on thinking classrooms for math, as they look to have students be more actively engaged and think aloud with classmates.

“Work through problems and games, and different kinds of activities to really engage them and bring their math thinking out and active in the classroom.”

Lair said staff have reported that the concept has been very successful and they could bring the active, engaged work to other subjects as well.

Another goal for the division is to focus on well-being and regulation in the classrooms. Lair said professional development will continue in those areas, along with equity and how all students are addressed, supported, and given a voice.

Lair said the division is also looking to continue to improve engagement.

“Support students to really be the owners of the thinking and learning and have the autonomy and control and really understand their learning goals and work through those kinds of things,” she explained.

The director said the division is increasingly focused on improving attendance across the Northeast. As expected, student attendance dropped during the pandemic, but Lair said the numbers have continued to drop. Both the board and schools across NESD are keeping an eye on what can be done to support students and increase attendance rates.

“[There are] some troubling attendance rates for sure, and I think sometimes it gets away from some of us,” Lair said. “Many absences per month lead to some significant lost opportunity in learning with classmates.”

Lair said school should be about engagement and discussion, and being away from that cannot just be replaced. She added they need to do what they can to help families and students be in school.

—

cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com