The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Fire damages school

Finishing the school year will be difficult for more than 100 students and 10 teaching staff displaced after Arrowwood School, near Strathmore, suffered significant fire damage.

The fire, which occurred on Friday, April 27, destroyed most of the building and its contents. Police believe it was deliberately set and have charged a local man with several counts of arson. Temporary classrooms have been set up at the nearby community centre, and students and staff expect to begin moving into portables by next week.

Principal Jody Beagle says the worst of the damage occurred near the school’s entrance, but heat and smoke damage has rendered nearly all the building’s contents unusable. “The basement was mostly untouched, so our Christmas concert items were not damaged and a portion of the library may be salvageable, but anything that kids might use or come into contact with that was exposed to smoke must be destroyed,” Beagle said.

“One of our biggest concerns right now is moving into a ­portable, but we’re not entirely sure what the new portables will include, so we’re asking for items like bookshelves, ­dictionaries and thesauri. We also need ­educational games like dice and cards that we can use on rainy days when recess is indoors.”

Beagle added that it will be difficult for everyone to finish the school year without crucial materials like students’ notes and teachers’ resources.

The school welcomes donations of school supplies and food items for its breakfast and lunch programs. For information about donations, contact the school at 403-534-3825 or drop off items at any school in the Palliser district and items will be delivered.

Items required by ­Arrowwood School

School and classroom supplies

Dice
Playing cards
Bingo chips/counters for math
Flash cards for math
Educational games
Craft supplies: acrylic paint, brushes, cardstock, construction paper
Mechanical pencils
White out, liquid and runner
Pencil sharpeners with shavings holders (80 needed)
Dividers (85 packages needed)
School exercise books, non-coil, 40-page
Single-hole punches (5 needed)
Calculators—basic (45 needed)
Calculators—scientific (20 needed)
Address labels
Legal envelopes
Mini whiteboards
Expo markers for white boards—thin tip
Magazines for cutting up and other uses

Breakfast program items

Juice
Juice boxes
Granola bars and nut-free fruit leather
Bread
Cheese spread
Jam
Cheese, single slices

Lunch program items

Instant noodle soup cups
Sports drinks
Frozen foods—burritos and pizza pops
Toaster
Fruit leather
Bread
Cheese spread
Jam
Cheese, single slices