Classes at Thunderbird School resume after cancellation caused by school roof damage

Classes at O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation’s Thunderbird School have largely resumed after the school was damaged by heavy snowfall and strong winds. Classes resumed at the school after engineers evaluated the damage, but five classrooms–which Frontier School Division superintendent Reg Klassen estimates is 20% of the school’s capacity–will be closed until repairs are completed. Chief Shirley Ducharme said that the community has been in need of a new school for some time due to structural concerns with the current building, but that disagreements with the federal government over the placement of the school and a water line have delayed the process. Klassen said that in 2018, an architecture firm recommended that the school be demolished; approximately $1M has been spent on repairs to keep it operational.