Louis Riel School Division's new school built with students in mind

Students heading back to class at Louis Riel School Division's brand new École Sage Creek School will be experiencing more than just that new school smell.

The first newly built school the division has seen in roughly 20 years is designed to give students an innovative learning experience with state-of-the-art features that principal Marc Poirier says are engineered especially to engage young learners.

"We know that in the olden days when everybody had to sit in rows and do the same thing at the same time, it wasn't good for kids — it was fine for some kids — but a lot of kids were not engaged," he explained while giving CBC a tour of the building Wednesday.

"We know that the more we answer students' personal needs, the more they can focus and the better they'll do with regards of school and being engaged in what they're doing." 

To help make sure students are engaged, the new K-8 school uses unique flexible furniture that can be combined together in a number of ways, says Poirier,  including a variety of heights to accommodate students of all ages and sizes. 

"Our typical classrooms have at least three varied heights for students who like to sit on the ground or with cushions on the ground, another for students who like to sit at a typical height, and also we know more and more students and adults like to work standing up, so we have standing desks as well," he said.

As well as getting to sit or stand while they work, Poirier says students at École Sage Creek can also choose to move around while they learn, with options including stools, swivel chairs and even rocking chairs for the more fidgety learners. 

"In the old days we forced students to not move, but now we know if you move while you're working you'll be able to concentrate a lot better," he said.

The school features many learning commons — areas Poirier says students and teachers can visit to collaborate and work together — as well as flexible spaces with doors that can open to join rooms together to make larger learning areas.

There's also a unique room the school is calling a "maker's space," which is meant to give students space to build, create and do hands-on learning.

The school is geothermally heated and Poirier said designers worked hard to make sure the outdoor and indoor spaces feel as connected as possible, with large windows throughout the building and touches like carpeting that looks like real grass.

"The idea is connecting to nature. Wherever you are you should be able to see outside, have a good view of trees, grass and nature," he explained. "And there's natural sunlight with large windows to help students be more engaged in what they're doing."

While the school doesn't officially open for class until Thursday, Poirier said parents and students who visited earlier this week have all loved the new building and its features.

"Everyone was so excited and very impressed by not only the building but also by the welcoming atmosphere," he said. "We're all really excited about our first day."

The school is built for 600 students and Poirier says it's already over capacity, with 630 children ready to hit the books starting Thursday morning.