A new elementary school is opening its doors in Kamloops for the first time in more than 20 years, adding to the excitement as students prepare to return to class.
The 2026–27 school year kicks off Tuesday morning when elementary and secondary students alike return to class at 10:30 a.m. Of the estimated 15,695 students expected to walk through classroom doors, some 453 will report to Sníne Elementary in Pineview Valley as it welcomes learners for the first time.
Sníne has been in the works for years, with the intention of relieving overcrowded classrooms at McGowan Park Elementary. For school trustees and SD73 administrators, the opening day has been a long time coming and a welcome relief, said school board chair Heather Grieve.
“It was a lot of engagement with the McGowan community when McGowan was very heavily over capacity,” said Grieve.
Parents, students and school district staff worked hard and showed flexibility in making the situation at McGowan Park work for as long as it did, including busing students to and from Pineview, she said. The hope is the new school will allow most students to walk to and from school while freeing up much-needed space.
Grieve remembers being a parent at David Thompson Elementary when it was filled beyond capacity. When SD73 reopened Westsyde Elementary, the amount of space freed up was visibly noticeable as soon as you walked into the school.
“It creates a much better feeling environment when you don’t have that hustle and bustle that’s there all the time,” said Grieve.
Secretary-treasurer Kim Morris said eliminating one bus route from Pineview to McGowan Park Elementary could also lighten the district’s financial burden, but she won’t know for sure until final enrolment numbers come in later this month.
School districts are primarily funded based on student enrolment.
SD73 superintendent Mike St. John echoed Grieve’s excitement at the opening of Sníne Elementary, but he is also looking forward to the start of the school year in general.
He said the coming 10 months will also be a time of “strategic revision” for the district, and administrators will be looking for input from parents, students and partner groups.
Every student has a story, and the district would like to know what brings them joy, what their culture and background are like, and how staff and administrators can best support them, said St. John.
“Developing a culture where kids feel connected and they feel cared for and where they run to school and walk home,” he said.
“They can’t wait to get there in the morning, they don’t want to leave at night. That starts with the care, and the love, and the engagement the classroom teacher, but also the extra supports that are offered if needed.”
On Tuesday, elementary schools will dismiss students two hours earlier than usual, at 12:39 p.m. Secondary schools will remain in session until 3 p.m.
Regular school hours resume Wednesday, Sept. 9.