Kanalskolan closed three years ago but has now been reopened.
The corridors are buzzing with life. Curious, anxious, expectant looks - a whole world of new impressions.
It's been a while since Kanalskolan, the central Skellefteå school, was this lively. It closed in 2020 when the students moved to the newly built Floraskolan on Morön. Since then, the premises have been used by the municipality for various purposes.
But last autumn, the education policymakers decided to breathe new life into the historic functionalist building from 1935. It has now been transformed into a high school – and after long preparations, the first-year students were finally welcomed on Monday.
For Selma Lundmark and Alice Gustafsson in class EK1C, it was a special reunion. They attended the school in grade 6 (for ages 12/13) and feel that much remains the same.
– I never thought I would come back here for high school, says Alice, laughing.
– Exactly, it doesn't quite feel like a high school. But maybe it's a matter of getting used to it, adds Selma.
During the day, the first-year students familiarized themselves with the premises and their new classes. Grades 2 and 3 will start on Wednesday. In total, there will be around 350 students at the school, significantly fewer than at Anderstorp and Baldergymnasiet (high schools).
– It feels a bit strange to attend a school with so few students. Moreover, it feels like almost everyone is in the economics program. But it will probably get better later when all the students are here, says Nour Aldin Almousa, who is in the same class as Selma and Alice.
Nour Aldin Almousa, Alice Gustafsson, and Selma Lundmark are excited to start high school.
Teachers Måns Karlsson and Frida Winterkvist are looking forward to the school year and the opportunity to build the educational unit from scratch.
As part of the transformation of Kanalskolan, the school kitchen is currently being expanded. This work is not expected to be completed until after the autumn break, so initially, the food will be delivered from Anderstorp high school.
– The big difference is that there will only be two dishes per day instead of four to five dishes like at the other schools. We have created a makeshift cafeteria in the old student cafeteria and made it possible to eat in some of the classrooms, says Daniel Hällgren, head of the food unit at Skellefteå municipality.
For Selma, Alice, and Nour, three exciting and educational years await. They all agree on what they're looking forward to the most:
– It feels great to get to know new people who share the same interests. And to delve into everything that is included in the economics program, they say.
The school is designed in the functionalist style and was built from 1932 to 1935. The location was deliberate to create an impressive aspect to Kanalgatan.