THUNDER BAY – It’s business as usual for a pair of Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute students, making the best of a merger that brought two high schools together as one.
For Grade 12 student Marlon Legarde, this week is all about getting used to a still-under-construction new school, after spending his first three high school years at the now closed Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute.
For Cameron Johnsen, it’s a chance to welcome the 300-plus students and 30-odd staff members who have made the transition to the south-side school, to make them feel at home.
LeGarde, 17, said it’s been hectic this week, but not that different from any other start to a school year.
The teen has some familiarity with Westgate, having attended a music program at the school during Grade 8.
“I think it’s a pretty good transition,” he said on Thursday, adding long-time Westgate students have been great so far.
“They’re welcoming. Amidst everyone and how crowded it is there are still a lot of familiar faces and everyone’s friendly. So I find it nice.”
Johnsen, who last year was on the transition committee and helped organize events to bring the two school populations together, said it definitely helped ease the merger.
“There were lots of opportunities for the student bodies to mix and make new friends and stuff and it looks like it’s all kind of paid off at the start of the school year because we’ve got everybody mingling together and it looks like it’s going pretty well,” Johnsen said.
It will take a little getting used to, the Grade 12 student added, but nothing that won’t be overcome in a few days.
“It’s almost like the first day of high school again, because you have all these new people. There are new friend groups mixing together. We’re just trying to be as welcoming as we can and friendly to everybody, just to be really hospitable and try to make them feel at home.”
Westgate principal Coral Szyszka said it’s been great so far.
“The first day went really well. It’s early, so it’s a bit soon to say with authority that the merger with Churchill has been a success, but I can tell you this – there were a lot of smiles. There is a lot of positive energy in the building, a lot of positive energy in the building about what this school is turning into with the new renovation plans and things are going really, really well,” Szyszka said.
As far as the renovation plans go, a school board official said Westgate’s new cafetorium, originally scheduled to open at the start of the school year, is still on track to be completed in time for the second semester. The staff parking lot should open later this week.
The former Churchill school will be demolished at a future date. A new elementary school for the site is already under construction.
