Class is officially back in session for Christ the Redeemer school division today, Aug. 31.

Dylan Sinclair, principal at St. Luke's Outreach School in Okotoks, has been teaching for 21 years and says making that initial transition back to work or school after a summer off can be difficult but that habits quickly form again.

He says the atmosphere in the building makes it an easy place to return to.

"This job is so fun, it's very exciting, there's going to be a lot of challenges ahead but everybody works together and this particular school is a building full of hope, optimism, and love and it makes it very easy to come back to work."

Sinclair says his advice for teachers is to remember just how important their jobs are.

"We are shaping, we are molding, we are always learning and expanding our tool boxes. There's never any complacency in our job, it's always new and fresh and different... we are influencing and building lifelong relationships... we are role models and whether you think you are or not somebody is looking up to you."

A majority of St. Luke's population consists of new faces with about 20% being returning students each year.

The school's opening their doors to students on their first day with a "welcome back" breakfast.

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