The Frontier School Division issued an internal staffing and operational notice to Frontier School Division employees on January 29, 2026, with particular focus on Area 5 (Norway House), after a major fire destroyed the Berens River School. The notice outlines how the division plans to handle the emergency after the building was declared a total loss.
According to local news and other reports, the fire broke out early on the morning of January 27, 2026, and the school — which served about 380 students — was destroyed. Because Norway House houses the Area 5 administrative hub, local resources and staff may be redirected to help get those students back into classrooms.
The division is exploring moving portable (modular) classrooms to Berens River while winter roads are still passable. That logistical planning is being coordinated through FSD’s Area 5 office in Norway House, which oversees schools in both communities.
News reports say Norway House is expected to provide support during the crisis, which could include temporary teacher secondments or moving educational supplies from local schools such as the Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre to assist recovery efforts.
Local leaders are watching how any redeployment of staff and equipment would affect daily operations in Norway House schools. In the immediate aftermath of the blaze, classes in Berens River were cancelled while officials work to finalize temporary schooling arrangements.
