The new Maplewood Secondary School in Stistville is scheduled to open Sept. 17 after a delay due to construction. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) told parents the school will welcome students unless there are any unforeseen issues.

“City of Ottawa staff have been on site all week while the contractor completes the necessary work for occupancy,” the letter said. A readiness inspection is expected next week, with an email confirmation expected by Sept. 11.

The OCDSB’s school year has begun, but Maplewood was not ready to open. Grades 7 and 8 students were sent to another school, and 9th graders were learning from home.

The OCDSB also announced that it will be adjusting the schedule for all Maplewood students next week. To ease the transition, students in grades 7 through 9 will learn from home asynchronously with teacher guidance on Sept. 13 and 16. Maplewood staff will use the two days to move equipment from DA Moodie School and prepare classrooms. Teachers will provide details on the learning process for these days.

Parents and guardians will receive additional information via email. The board thanked families for their patience and acknowledged the inconvenience and stress caused by the delays.

Maplewood will welcome 807 students in grades 7-9 from Stistville this school year. It will add another grade each year until it becomes a grade 7-12 school in 2027.

Anastasia Chupina