On September 4, 2018, the Waterloo Region District School Board opened the doors of its largest elementary school for the first time. Janet Metcalfe Public School welcomed more than 550 students and 52 staff into a brand new facility.
The school is named after Canada’s first ever kindergarten teacher, who taught in Waterloo Region for more than 30 years. The southwest Kitchener school is now home to students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 7, with Grade 8 starting in September 2019. The building houses a child care space run by Jacob Hespeler Child Care. Additionally, the building is filled with windows to maximize natural light, is fully accessible and has a designated room for medically fragile students.
As part of the opening celebration, school staff and special guests greeted students and their families at various locations surrounding the school and walked together in groups to the new building. Special guests included Waterloo Regional Police officers, Police Chief Larkin, City of Kitchener Mayor Vrbanovic, members of Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region and Waterloo Region District School Board dignitaries.
After everyone sang O Canada, Principal Janet Hale and three students officially welcomed the Janet Metcalfe Mavericks into their new school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.