The new school year 2022-23 is beginning on Monday 15th August 2022. A large amount of final year students (Abit) have begun already with intensive courses on the 8th and 9th of August. For the rest of the students school begins on Monday, for the middle school students (7-9) and the first year upper school (lukio) students at 0900 and for the older upper school students at 1030.
The school has grown since last year. There will be almost 200 new 7th graders and 180 new upper school students, total number of students reaching 500 in middle school and over 500 in upper school. They will be supported by 100 employees, of which some 10 are new.
This school year we are facing a transformation as building of the new facilities will be completed in the fall. According to the original plan it should have happened by the beginning of the school year, but we still have to wait for a couple of weeks unfortunately. Construction of the learning facilities is scheduled to be completed on 30th September and sports facilities on 31st October.
The extension construction causes construction site traffic, especially in the school’s backyard. To ensure safe travel, pay attention to movement near the school, keep phones in your pockets and headphones away from your ears. Machines can have poor visibility, so give them space.
Before the extension is ready, the school has to use the gymnasiums for the teaching of other subjects during the first period. PE classes are therefore held outdoors, in the school’s weight gym or outside sports facilities.
During the summer, the school underwent major changes to prepare for the increase in the number of students. The school’s kitchen has been expanded and re-equipped, and the dish return has moved to the other end of the dining hall. After the completion of the extension, during the fall vacation, the dining hall will also be expanded by removing the current corridor that runs through the space and adding new rooms as part of the dining hall. In addition, the room U21 has been changed to another home economics room. Upper school lounge will be set up in the courtyard for the first few weeks.
The expansion construction has made the school yards and passageways more cramped than normal. If students are transported to school, they need to be dropped off at Ståhlbergintie or Svinhufvudintie, or at bus stops on Itäväylä. Traffic cannot safely fit in the roads or to the school yards, in addition to pedestrians and construction site traffic.
In the two-and-a-half-year-long corona pandemic, increasing infection numbers are predicted again in the fall. However, we hope that school operations will continue as normal as possible, illnesses will cause as mild symptoms as possible and that return to school will be quicker. The use of face masks can be continued at your own discretion and masks will be available at the school.
The new board begins its three-year term at the beginning of the academic year. The board members are parents Elina Seppälä (chair), Jussi Tapio, Iina Berden, Asta Raami, Maarit Tarkiainen, Anna-Stiina Henttinen, Lotta Kopra, Virpi Lappeteläinen, Pipsa Lotta Marjamäki and Hanne Nystedt, and staff members Sirpa Vartia, Jaana Junnonen and Meri Miettinen . Students nominate their representatives annually. In addition, the head of school and the school level principals participate in the work of the board.
We hope for sunny last days of holidays for everyone! See you soon at school!
Lauri Halla