Photo: X / Slate
When Grade 12 student Tasha Napoakesik and her family fled northern Manitoba wildfires this summer, she thought she would be back home long before school began. Instead, September has arrived, and she is starting Grade 12 in Brandon, far away from her community of Lynn Lake.
“It’s hard being in a new city with new teachers and students,” Napoakesik said. “I just try to do my best and not think too much about what I can’t change.”
Napoakesik and her family were first evacuated in May, returned home for only 10 days in July, and then had to leave again. Like many others, she now faces the challenge of studying in an unfamiliar place while carrying the hope of going home soon.
More than 70 evacuated students are now enrolled in Brandon School Division, and officials are preparing to welcome up to 200 if needed. Superintendent Mathew Gustafson said planning began in June, when it became clear the wildfires would force families into long-term displacement.
“We know families are nervous,” Gustafson said. “It’s a new community, a new school, and they want the best for their children. Our goal is to give them stability during such uncertain times.”
Elementary students (Kindergarten to Grade 8) are being placed in King George and Riverview schools, while older students are attending École Secondaire Neelin or Vincent Massey High School. To make room, the division has converted libraries, staff rooms, and even music rooms into learning spaces. Extra education assistants and contingency classrooms have also been added.
In Winnipeg, Sargent Park Elementary temporarily hosted 20 students before they could return home, while St. James-Assiniboia School Division is partnering with Mathias Colomb Cree Nation to support more displaced learners.
Community leaders emphasize that children need a sense of stability after months of upheaval. Don McCallum, CAO of Marcel Colomb First Nation, said many students have joined Brandon schools, but uncertainty continues to weigh on families.
“They miss home,” he said. “This isn’t the same as going back to their own schools, but having routines helps.”
Chief Dehlia Hart-Francois of Marcel Colomb First Nation said the transition has been especially hard on young people. Her own grandchildren are adjusting to classrooms in Brandon but face the unusual experience of catching buses from hotel parking lots and navigating a big city.
She worries the eventual return home could disrupt the progress her grandchildren and other youth have made. “We need better planning for long evacuations,” she said, suggesting take-home learning packages as a solution. “Education is the key for our children’s future.”
For parents like Belinda Merasty, Napoakesik’s mother, the situation feels like “walking on eggshells.” About a third of West Lynn Heights School’s 200 students are now enrolled in Brandon.
She says knowing her daughter and other children from Lynn Lake are placed in the same classrooms has helped reduce anxiety. “At first, she was really nervous. But once we found out her friends were together in the same class, it eased her stress.”
Merasty is grateful for the support from Brandon and Frontier school divisions, but the uncertainty is draining. “At least the kids are getting the education they need while we wait,” she said. “They can take what they learn here back with them when it’s time to return home.”
The return home depends on infrastructure repairs. A transformer failure at Lynn Lake’s water treatment plant has delayed re-entry for families. Until it is fixed, evacuees must remain in Brandon.
Students like Napoakesik are doing their best to adapt, attending Neelin High School alongside friends from home. Still, the longing for Lynn Lake remains constant. “It’s nice here, but I’m sick of it,” she admitted. “We talk about going home all the time. I hope it’s this week.”
Despite challenges, families, educators, and leaders agree that school provides vital comfort during uncertainty. Children are building routines, staying connected with peers, and continuing their education while waiting for stability to return.
The experience has shown the strength of Manitoba’s communities in coming together, converting classrooms, and making space for evacuee students. Yet, for many families, the ultimate wish remains simple: the chance to go back home.
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