Education officials scramble to resume classes in Ross River, Yukon

Yukon's education department says it's working as quickly as possible to get children in Ross River back in a classroom.

More than 50 children have been affected by the school's closure on Jan. 18. The department has said permafrost-related damage has raised concerns about the school's structural integrity.

The school had been closed for a couple of days earlier in the month when large cracks appeared in the walls, but engineers decided the school was safe for occupancy.

Greg Storey, the superintendent of the Ross River School, says he's been meeting with staff, the Ross River Dena chief and council and others this week. He says social activities are being organized to keep students engaged and staff are working on homework plans for them.

Storey says the department is identifying buildings in the community that might be able to house temporary classrooms. Two trailers that had been used by Yukon College are also being taken to Ross River.

Storey says there should be more information next week about when classes will resume. That could happen in stages, he says.

"The Grade 10s in particular," Storey says. "I think everybody has recognized in all the meetings that we've been at, that we really want to keep the momentum for those kids because we've got some kids that are actually coming back to school and making that step to continue their education."

Storey says the school has been a hub of activity in the community of about 300,and local residents want to keep it that way.

He says the government is looking at repairing the existing school, rather than replacing it.

"It's all about repairs and I think there is some confidence the school can be repaired," Storey says.

He says there's no timetable on when the repairs might be finished or when the school will reopen.