Back to the books

Five-year-old Luke Burns, left photo, stuffs his new backpack with everything he will need for his first day of Grade Primary at G.R Saunders Elementary School in Stellarton. Luke is the son of Sheri and Ray Burns of Stellarton. (Jardine photo)

School begins tomorrow for most county students, but some Grade 12 students at North Nova Education Centre got a leg up last week by picking up their class schedules.
“We were supposed to start handing out the schedules at 9 a.m., but there were students here at 8:30,” explains Colin Mackay, guidance counsellor. “The students seem excited and keen to get things organized and in place so they are ready to go.”
Mackay says the students seemed overall happy with their schedules, which was a “pleasant surprise.
“When the students would receive their schedules, they would sit down and compare and contrast, although not all students pick up their schedule early.”
As Mackay predicts, about half of the students will go to the school the week before to get their upcoming school schedule for both the fall and winter semesters.
Ryan Myers and Charlee Gerrior were two of the many students who arrived at the school last Wednesday morning to mentally prepare for their last two semesters of high school.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing my friends again,” says Gerrior. “I didn’t get to see everyone over the summer.”
She was less enthused about her course schedule.
“It’s OK, but I’m not super pleased with it – but it’s not terrible,” she says.
Myers agrees in that this year will be “a lot of work, but it’s what I expected.”
He is also looking forward to seeing old friends as well as getting back into a regular routine.
“I don’t mind school,” he says.
As for what’s on the horizon for these soon-to-be graduating students, the sky’s the limit.
“I don’t really know where I want to go yet, but I do know that I want to take business,” says Gerrior. “I plan on applying early and take it from there.”
She is considering taking her first year at the Nova Scotia Community College and continuing on at Saint Mary’s University or another university that offers the same program.
Myers is also set on proceeding down the same path.
“If I stay around here, I would like to take business at either Acadia or Saint Mary’s University, but I am also looking into out-of-province schools, perhaps in Ontario,” he says.
Myers is also contemplating studying abroad for a year in England.