It's a big year for LA Desmarais elementary school in Forest Glade.
The Catholic school on Eastcourt Drive is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
One of the teachers at the school was a student there in the 1970's and 1980's and later returned to teach.
Robbie-Lynne Schreindler says it was a very full school when she was a student with about 500 students when the Forest Glade subdivision was new.
"And then when I started teaching here it was small because the community grew up and there was only 180 students here back in 2002. And we're back at over 500 students again so it's funny how it makes its cyclical rounds."
She says it was an open concept school, but they've had to make changes for COVID-19 safety.
"We've created some walls, we fundraised to put some walls in. So it's open at the top but it's kind of closed up now, it's more of a closed school I would say than an open school because we did separate some areas."
She says the teachers call it a secret gem because so few people know about it.
"The kids here are so respectful and so sweet and it just seems to be a big family. Obviously I've been here for the majority of my teaching career. You don't want to leave, you've made bonds with the families."
Schreindler is turning 50-years-old this year, the same age as the school.
LA Desmarais opened in September of 1971.