The Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) is prepared to kick off the 2026-27 school year. The board says they’re excited for the return of students and staff. While exact enrolment numbers were not available, the board is reporting a small decline in enrolment this upcoming year. Vicki Houston, Chief Executive Officer for the GECDSB, says there’s a new history curriculum for students in grades 7, 8 and 10. She adds that additions at both Glenwood Public School and Roseland Public School were also completed over the summer. Houston says it’s time to start preparing students for the new school year. “Start now setting your alarm, going to bed a little earlier and waking up in the morning. We are really excited to have everybody back. And then just always a reminder, traffic will be busier, buses will be back on the road, more cars will be back on the road, students will be walking and biking to school... so please make sure that everybody allows some extra time for the safety of everybody.” She says there’s a lot to look forward to. “There is the new curriculum for Grade 7, Grade 8, and Grade 10. It’s a refreshed and modernized history curriculum. Some other new things is we have our two newly elected student trustees who will be representing their students. As usual, we have many extracurricular activities.” Houston says there was a lot of construction over the summer. “We have both Glenwood Public School and Roseland Public School. Both got an addition and they’re ready to go. Every permit has been met. All the inspections are done and we have occupancy of those areas for some newly added spaces in those two elementary schools.” The 2026-27 school year officially begins on September 8. The public board had approximately 34,700 students in 2025-26.
