Portage students ready to hit the books

Portage students will hit the books today as school is back in session. PortageOnline caught up with two École Arthur Meighen pupils as they headed back to the classroom.

Lily Guest is in Grade 8 and says it is nice to be one of the oldest kids at the school.

"There's only thirty 8th graders so it's going to be a very small group, and I know everyone. I think it's going to be fun."

Lily Guest & École Arthur Meighen Principal Tracy Vanstone.

Guest has offered her services to the school to be one of the students who serve as a tour guide. That group of students was very busy on Wednesday for a meet the teacher event. This was an opportunity for families to get a quick look at the classrooms they would be in for the upcoming year and many were entering the school for the first time.

"I thought it would be cool. I thought would be a nice experience. It will also be a nice way to get to know the layout of the school early. And I thought it would just be nice to be able to help some new kids learn their way around, especially since I've been at École Arthur Meighen for years now. It's like I know everything and just need to adjust to some of the changes. "

Guest says that she will be helping new students and substitute teachers become accustomed to the lay of the land.

Regarding being sad about the summer being over, Guest isn't one to get too emotional.

"I think I'm somewhere in the middle because I enjoy a lot of the parts of school, but also it's nice in summer when you have all your free time to yourself, and you don't have to think at all. Now I'm going to have to start thinking again."

The Grade 8 student says that she has been preparing for the year by speaking more and more French.

"My mom and my dad both don't speak French, so I've kind of just been talking to myself because usually I find when everyone goes back, no one's been speaking French over the summer, and everyone's kind of like I forgot how to speak."

Grade 3 student Heidi Sobkowich says she is happy and sad at the same time to head back to the classroom. The young student will go to the school for the first time this week.

Heidi Sobkowich.

"It is a little bit scary cause we got a tour when I was in grade two, but it's still different cause you're going to this whole new school," she continues. "I have my teacher from last year. She's a really nice teacher, Ms. Lopez. So, I'm happy about that. And most of my friends are in my class this year."

Highlights from Sobkowich's summer include going to Disneyland and seeing Doc Walker at the Portage Ex. Guest notes that her highlight was going to the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. Both students have offered their services to be correspondents for the school and let us know as different things happen throughout the year.

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