Hillcrest School will be changing for the upcoming school year.

Starting in September, it will close its doors as a K to 8 facility to be used for different purposes instead.

Hillcrest first opened in 1954, so this is the 70th anniversary of the facility.

Middle school teacher Julie Pelletier says they wanted to end the year with a celebration.

“A lot of us are pretty sad to be leaving our great little school. It means a lot to the community, to alumni, staff and students. It’s an event for anyone who has ever been impacted by the school. We have always functioned as a big family, and I see it as a family reunion,” Pelletier says.

An open house, drop-in event is being held Thursday, June 13, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. The public can stay for a short visit, or the entire event if they prefer.

“From 5 to 5:30, anyone is invited for a family picnic. At around 5:30 we’ll be opening up the school. There will also be field games. Then from 6:30 pm to 8 pm, we’re going to have one last patio party in the gym. We do have some live music by alumni staff that will be here playing music in the gym, then followed by some music from the last seven decades. So there’s a lot of time for people to reconnect throughout the evening,” Pelletier adds.

There will be lots of time for storytelling as well.

“I know that a lot of the kids, and a lot of the staff, would love to hear some of the stories from the past. I will have some form of a guest book or a memory book for people to sign and maybe write out their favourite memories from the years that they were here, that they either worked here or attended the school and or even volunteered in the school,” Grade one and two teacher Jennifer Giffard says.

In her ten years as a middle school teacher, Pelletier says it’s very hard to choose just one memory that sticks in her mind.

“This place will always have a special part, a special place in my heart. It’s very bittersweet to be seeing our beautiful school transform into something different. I would say some of my favourite memories are always at the end of the school year when the students come together,” Pelletier stated.

For Giffard, who has been at Hillcrest for 20 years, there are so many great memories.

“It’s really hard for me to see the school come to an end, but I think what I’m most excited about is the open house and seeing former students come back. Some of them have their own families now, and they’ll be able to share their memories about Hillcrest with us. So I’m really, really excited about this. Once an eagle, always an eagle,” Giffard says.