Fort McMurray's school boards assess damage from wildfire

About 200 students enrolled at Beacon Hill Schoolwill be treading different ground in the fall.

"We've taken the decision not to reopen Beacon Hill school because while the school structure was still OK ...the toxicity and theparticulatesin there had caused a lot of damage to anything that would absorb smoke," said publicboard chair Jeff Thompson.

Beacon Hill was one of neighbourhoods worst hit by the FortMcMurraywildfire.

The school will take at leasta year tocleanasthe school's windows were left open as awildfire roared into town last month.

The 200 students will be relocated toDr. K.A. ClarkSchool indowntown Fort McMurray, but the student body will retain its autonomy asa school within a school, he said.

Thompson also said the newly-built Christina Gordon School will not be ready for thefall as construction was halted by the wildfire more than five weeks ago.

Compared to where some of the people have lost their homes etc, the work we're doing really pales incomparison.- GeorgeMcGuigan

In the Catholic school system, two schools, Father Beauregard andGood Shepherd Community Schoolare in for long rehabilitation as well displacingas many as 430 students.

"Compared to where some of the people have lost their homes etc, the work we're doing really pales incomparison," saidsuperintendentGeorgeMcGuigan.

All FortMcMurrayschools areclosed until atleastSeptember.

September will prove to be interesting as there's no way to tell how many families will return to Fort McMurray especially in the hardest hit communities of Abasand, Waterways and Beacon Hill, Thompson said.

Up to last month,thebiggest challenge facing trustees was finding enough space for a rapidlygrowing population of students, hesaid.