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Pa ge 8 T hu rs da y, S ep te m be r 1 0, 2 01 5 - T he IF P - H al to n H ill s - w w w .th ei fp .c a Dr. Kristen Brandao is accepting new patients. Providing comprehensive comfortable care for your whole family. call us today 905-873-6485 www.dianadental.ca 273 Delrex Blvd., Georgetown NEWS Halton Hills Christian School celebrates 50th anniversary Students and staff at Halton Hills Christian School spent part of their first day back to class by doing what else? Having a party! The school had a celebration Tuesday in the gymnasium to mark its official opening in September 1965, when it was known as Georgetown District Christian School and consisted of three staff members and 107 students in three classrooms. Since that time, HHCS has expanded four times to accommodate the growth of the stu- dent body and the school's programs, which currently includes the highly specialized Ar- rowsmith for students with learning disabili- ties. There are now close to 300 students at HHCS along with 38 staff members from junior kindergarten to grade 8 in what is the lone private faith-based school in Halton Hills. Principal Marianne Vangoor acknowl- edged the efforts of many of those who have helped the school grow to what it's become today. Town of Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bon- nette and Wellington-Halton Hills MP Mi- chael Chong attended the ceremony and conveyed their congratulatory wishes. Chong, whose mother was born in the Netherlands, noted that the land for the school was originally purchased for $13,000, the cost of construction was $45,000 and $4,500 to equip the building, with most of the labour and fundraising supplied by Dutch immigrants. Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette presents a congratulatory document to Halton Hills Christian School principal Marianne Vangoor Tuesday morning as the Trafalgar Rd. school celebrated its 50th anni- versary with an assembly of students and parents. Photo by Eamonn Maher The Halton District School Board wel- comed more than 62,000 Kindergarten to Grade 12 students to the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 8, with the opening of two new elementary schools highlighting the start of the 2015-16 year. The Board has approximately 4,081 ele- mentary and secondary teachers, approxi- mately 2,176 non-teaching and support staff, and 215 Principals and Vice-princi- pals. Director of Education David Euale said, "Every preparation, from bright and pol- ished hallways to attractive wall displays and engaging lesson plans, readies our schools for student learning," he said. "We appreciate all the work staff members do to prepare for the arrival of students." Included in the excitement of a new year is the opening of two new schools as the Board continues to experience a growing student population: Boyne Public School in Milton and Oodenawi Public School in Oakville. With the addition of these schools, the Board now has a complement of 86 el- ementary and 19 secondary schools. Also, the Board welcomes Jacqueline Newton as Superintendent of Education, whose appointment fills the vacancy cre- ated with the departure of Yaw Obeng. Newton will have responsibility for Milton elementary and secondary schools. The Halton Catholic District School Board saw about 31,000 students of all ages return to its 45 elementary schools, nine secondary schools, and three continuing education facilities, serving the communi- ties of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville. For more details about the Halton pub- lic and Catholic school boards go to www. hdsb.ca or www.hcdsb.org. Students return to Halton public and Catholic schools this week