Author: Jason Hewlett
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NorKam lockdown prompts review of SD73 communications plan
Keeping parents and the public better informed during a school lockdown will be SD73’s top priority should such an unfortunate event occur again. “If we can’t say much we will say something,” Interim superintendent Mike McKay told media during a recent press conference. McKay said district staff conducted a thorough review with RCMP and Kamloops…
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Westmount students displaced until 2026
The discovery of asbestos in Westmount elementary means students displaced by an act of arson won’t return to their school until the new year. “We’re definitely not going back before Christmas,” said Jelena Hansen, chair of the school’s Parent Advisory Council. “Worst case scenario we don’t get back in this year. Best case scenario, for…
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Mike St. John has been chosen as the next superintendent for SD73. His tenure is set to begin in 2026.District selects 30-year education veteran to helm SD73
The Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education has tapped veteran educator Mike St. John as the next superintendent for SD73, with his tenure set to begin in early 2026. Board chair Heather Grieve and interim superintendent Mike McKay announced the hire during a school board meeting on Nov. 24, and St. John met local media virtually the…
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School food program helps students
More families are struggling to make ends meet, which is why the Kamloops-Thompson School District took advantage of federal and provincial funding to take the pressure off parents and ensure students are well fed. The district’s School Food Program aims to reduce the stigma about hungry students while coming up with creative ways to ensure…
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Photo courtesy of the BC Wildfire ServiceNight vision, quick response credited for late-season wildfire success
Several factors helped forest service firefighters turn the tide when a late-season heatwave sparked a series of new blazes across the Kamloops Fire Centre this past summer. According to regional wildfire coordinating officer Dale Bojahra, the addition of night-vision equipment to helicopters made a major difference in how crews tackled fires during the crucial late-season…
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Suspicious fire closes Westmount Elementary
RCMP seeking information No one was harmed and the school was saved, but the act of arson which forced Westmount elementary’s 250 students to temporarily locate left its community rattled. “Everybody is super shell shocked. How could somebody do this?” asked Jelena Hansen, chair of the school’s Parent Advisory Council. “Parents in general are outraged…
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Grade 2 students from Bert Edwards Science and Technology School learn about salmon at a recent Rivers Day event.Rivers Day connects students with nature
For nearly two decades, students at Bert Edwards Science and Technology School have learned firsthand about the value of spending time outdoors — and the importance of protecting the Earth’s natural environment. That tradition continued last month when the school’s 250 students made their way to the banks of the North Thompson River for the…
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District faces budgetary woes in coming years
Although operating with a budget surplus at the moment, declining enrollment and rising inflation means the Kamloops-Thompson School District’s financial woes are far from over. The district started the 2025-2026 school year with a $5.1 million operating surplus; which interim secretary treasurer Harold Cull and administrators scrounged together after the previous secretary treasurer was fired…
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District faces budgetary woes in coming years
Strong leadership skills, a future focused mindset and the ability to work well in a team environment are among the qualities school-board trustees are looking for in their next superintendent. An official posting for the Kamloops-Thompson School District leader — as well as a new secretary treasure — was distributed across the province and nationwide…
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North Shore initiative expands in Valleyview
A North Kamloops-based initiative to clean up city streets successfully moved into the downtown core is now putting the shine on East Kamloops neighbourhoods. The Clean Team has been picking up needles, wiping clean graffiti, and removing human waste and other garbage from Valleyview to Campbell Creek since July. The team, an initiative of the…