As fall approaches, the new school year is also coming with teachers, parents, and students all preparing.

The Southeast Cornerstone Public School Division is also beginning its preparations, including a new provincial education plan.

Director of Education for the SECPSD Keith Keating says that the lead-up is going well so far.

"Preparations are going great ahead of the new school year. We started in August with some strategic planning meetings with the board and we're looking forward to the startup with the staff and the administrators meeting to prepare ahead of the school year."

Teachers are also getting ready for the new school year as they're already in the classrooms.

"They do some work during the summer to prepare for the school year, of course," said Keating, "But they start the week before students. They have staff meetings, preparation time, professional development, and then they also have the teacher's convention during the week before."

 The school division will also have a new provincial education plan to implement, focusing on a few key topics.

"This year we're starting on the new provincial education plan that will carry us into 2030. This year we're building on some of the things we started last school year and as a division and as individual schools," said Keating, "We're building their plans to align with the province."

"I think it's an exciting opportunity to focus on some of the things we've been focusing on for a while, as well as focus on a few new things. The provincial education plan, it really has four priority areas, indigenous education, mental health and well-being, teaching and learning, and transitions into, through, and out of school, so some exciting stuff in there."

Keating says he's excited to see what comes up in the new school year.

"It's always exciting to start a new school year and we get to look forward to all the great things that our teachers and kids will be doing, whether that's academic or sports activities or arts activities. Education is a great place in that it's always like you have a new start every year."

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