The school year is wrapping up, but students and staff at Willow River Public School are celebrating a brand-new beginning. While there were just over 300 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 7 in September 2025, parts of the building remained under construction. Now fully completed, the modern facility features flexible classrooms, a YW Child Care Centre, and bright common areas designed to support student well-being. “We were able to occupy about half of the school to start the school year,” said WRDSB Chief Executive Officer Scott Miller. “As the year’s gone on, construction has continued, and now today it’s finished and we got to celebrate.” The school’s name reflects the area’s rich heritage. O:se Kenhionhata:tie is the Mohawk name for Grand River and means “Willow River” in reference to the many willow trees along the river. Indigenous architecture can be spotted throughout the school including in the main lobby. “The spiral staircase, when I went up it, I was like, ‘wow,’” one student said. Work was done by WalterFedy as well as Smoke Architecture, an all-female Anishnaabe Indigenous company. “We really just learned today, actually, that [the staircase] resembles a smudge bowl,” Miller said. The school features an outdoor classroom to promote land-based learning. “Our kindergartens have created a butterfly garden,” said Principal Carol Coyle. “Whereas some of our older students have created an herb garden.” There is also a learning pod which classrooms and the outdoor space are connected to. The planning process for Willow River Public School began in 2020. Students said it was worth the wait. “Being in a brand-new school is great and getting to start everything from the ground up is really cool,” a student said. Principal Coyle said they have come a long way. “Looking back to the first day of school in September 2025, we were excited to open our doors,” Coyle said. “With our official opening today, it is hard to believe how far we have come. Together, we didn’t just open a school, we built a community.” The school’s community is about to get bigger. In September 2026, Willow River will introduce Grade 8 classes, causing the student population to nearly double to close to 600 students. “We have made a student hub for Grade 7 and 8 students, and that’ll be open next year,” said one student.
