As thousands flee northern Manitoba wildfires, school districts across the province are mobilizing to welcome evacuee students into their classrooms. It’s a logistical challenge wrapped in a human story – one that reveals both the resilience of communities and the adaptability of our education system.
“We’re ready to receive these students with open arms,” says Wendy Bloomfield, superintendent of Seine River School Division. Speaking from her office in Lorette, she explains how her team has prepared emergency integration plans for potentially dozens of new students. “These children have experienced trauma. Our first priority is creating a sense of safety and normalcy.”
The Manitoba government reports over 4,000 evacuees have been relocated from affected northern communities in the past week. Among them, education officials estimate 600-800 school-aged children now find themselves temporarily relocated to unfamiliar communities as the school year progresses.
At École Varennes in Winnipeg, principal Maria Santos shows me a classroom where volunteer teachers have assembled welcome packages. Each desk has a name tag, basic school supplies, and a small stuffed animal – a thoughtful touch for younger students.
“We learned from previous evacuations that children need both academic support and emotional care,” Santos explains. “Our Indigenous student support workers are especially valuable in helping these students feel connected.”
The Manitoba Teachers’ Society has activated its emergency response network, connecting displaced educators with local schools to maintain some continuity for evacuated students. This approach, first developed during the 2019 evacuations, helps children see familiar faces in unfamiliar settings.
For 14-year-old Jayden from Pauingassi First Nation, currently staying at a Winnipeg hotel with his family, the uncertainty weighs heavily. “I miss my friends and teachers,” he tells me while his mother completes registration paperwork at a nearby school. “But everyone here has been nice.”
The province’s Education Department has streamlined the emergency enrollment process, allowing families to register children without typical documentation requirements. Schools receive $250 per evacuee student to cover immediate supplies and support services through a special contingency fund approved last year.
“We’ve learned from past evacuations,” says Deputy Minister of Education Charlotte Wilson. “Our schools now have protocols in place that can be activated quickly when communities are displaced.”
Those protocols include cultural sensitivity training for receiving schools and trauma-informed teaching practices. Wilson notes that many northern students come from communities where Indigenous languages are spoken daily, creating additional challenges in predominantly English or French classrooms.
Manitoba’s wildfire situation remains volatile, with provincial emergency measures officials reporting thirteen communities under evacuation orders. The Manitoba Wildfire Service confirms that weather conditions have hampered firefighting efforts across the northern region.
For families, the uncertainty extends beyond immediate safety concerns. “We don’t know if we’ll be back home in two weeks or two months,” says Karen Monias, a mother of three from Garden Hill First Nation. “I’m worried about my children falling behind.”
To address these concerns, schools are implementing flexible academic assessments for evacuee students. Rather than expecting them to immediately jump into standard curriculum, teachers are conducting individual learning assessments and creating modified educational plans.
The Manitoba School Boards Association has also coordinated technology supports, ensuring evacuated students can access digital learning resources. Several telecommunications companies have donated tablets and internet access points to evacuation centers.
“Education continuity during crisis situations requires community-wide response,” explains Patricia Burgoyne, president of the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents. “We’re seeing incredible collaboration between divisions, community organizations, and all levels of government.”
That collaboration extends to mental health services. Child psychologists from the Manitoba Trauma Information and Education Centre have volunteered to provide guidance to teachers receiving evacuee students. Their recommendations focus on creating predictable routines and opportunities for children to process their experiences through art and storytelling.
At Winnipeg’s Sergeant Tommy Prince School, cultural support worker Michael Esquash explains how traditional practices help displaced students. “We’ve set up a morning smudge ceremony for students who wish to participate. These cultural touchpoints provide comfort in unfamiliar settings.”
The province’s previous experiences with evacuations – including the 2011 Assiniboine River flooding and 2017 Churchill rail line disruption – have informed current response efforts. Records from Manitoba Education show that students who received comprehensive support during those displacements maintained better academic outcomes than those who didn’t.
As communities prepare for potentially extended displacements, education officials emphasize that flexibility will be essential. Some schools are creating buddy systems pairing local students with newcomers, while others are organizing cultural exchange activities that benefit everyone.
“In crisis, we often discover our greatest strengths,” reflects Superintendent Bloomfield. “These students bring their own knowledge and perspectives that enrich our schools, even as we help them through a difficult time.”
For young Jayden, that perspective offers some comfort as he prepares to enter a new classroom tomorrow. “My mom says we’re safe here, and I can still learn,” he says. “I guess that’s what matters most right now.”
