The Kamloops Thompson School District now has a teacher in place for Westwold Elementary.

The school is currently closed because no one enrolled last year, but it will re-open if there are at least six students for this fall.

SD 73 superintendent Alison Sidow says the new teacher has a young family in the area, who calls it “her dream job”.

“She has a young family in the area too so we’re really pleased that we’ve been able to preserve that goal and we’re hoping that the enrollment will continue to grow,” she said on the Jason Hewlett show. “I notice there’s some new industry out in Westwold, so whether that brings new families or not, I don’t know.”

As for Westsyde Elementary – which will also re-open this fall – Sidow says there is larger classrooms, new floors and lighting and a new playground, and she says it will be the envy of the district.

“Our maintenance department’s done a tremendous job. They said they want to build a model school to show what you can do with significant renovations,”she added. “Large classrooms, brand new flooring, new lighting, brand new play field, new playground. It will be the envy of, I think, the district.”

Westsyde Elementary had been closed for 13 years.