Sherbrooke’s Collège du Sacré-coeur closes its doors for good
The Collège du Sacré-coeur (CSC) will be closing down at the end of the current school year. Members of CSC solidarity cooperative held an assembly on Feb. 6, where they all voted in favour of the shut-down. The private school was first opened in 1945 by les Filles de la Charité du Sacré-coeur de Jésus. The first all-girls college of its kind in Sherbrooke, the CSC started accepting male students just last year.
“Our main concern is accompanying our students and staff in this difficult transition. Various measures will immediately be established to facilitate the students’ application at other schools and to support our staff as they search for a new job. Our main goal is to diminish the uncertainties caused by this situation so that our students can concentrate on their studies and can finish off the year in peace,” expressed Pierre Rodier, chairman of the CSC board of directors. The school operated as a multistakeholder cooperative, which invited parents to have a say in every decision made for the school.
Low enrolment was to blame for the shut-down, according to Rodier. In recent years, the CSC struggled to recruit new students. The solidarity coop voted in favour of gender diversity and a pedagogical approach that favoured independent learning in May 2018 to remedy to the recruitment issue. However, only 16 level one students – including a meager six boys – applied for the 2019-2020.
“We realized that it was not enough to guarantee the college’s sustainability. We shared our numbers with all our coop members and realized that shutting down was the only responsible option,” added Rodier. “Our school was founded in the name of excellence 74 years ago, and it is the name of excellence that we will be ending this wonderful adventure.”
A support group was established yesterday morning at the school to assist the students and staff. Rodier explained that they have already contacted the governing bodies of the other private schools in Sherbrooke to help the CSC students find a new school.
“Three years ago, we had about 450 students. This year, we had 182, with 60 graduating students. The Collège is viable with around 300 students with a maximum capacity of 500,” he mentioned. “We implemented a pedagogical renewal. Even if the school was mixedgender, the boys and girls only coexisted during extracurriculars. All classes were unisex and promoted independent learning. Like many Scandinavian schools, we are at the cutting edge of education, but maybe not everyone is ready for it.”
Collaborations with other institutions were also considered, but the school’s coop status complicated the issue. “We are a solidarity cooperative. If we were to merge with an institution, that institution would have to change its legal status to a solidarity cooperative as well,” unraveled Rodier.
Raymond Lepage, the CSC’S interim principal since early January, expressed his disappointment as well: “The objective was to find a way to renew the college. There was a lovely family atmosphere. All the teachers knew the kids on a first name basis. It’s unfortunate to see this come to and end.”
“I attended CSC from 2010 to 2015,” said Geneviève Robidas, who now fills in at the secretariat from time to time. “I would manage applications and I couldn’t help but notice that there were so little. I don’t think the arrival of male students helped. The frequent direction changes did not help to the college’s stability.” Robidas chose to attend because her dance school was affiliated to the college and she loved to play basketball. She recalled that she was able to be heavily implicated at the school: “I participated in a million committees, and there were so many shows, school outings and trips. It’s really unfortunate.”
Stéphanie Dion, a 2012 graduate, also revealed she was saddened by the news. “My mom had attended the college as well, and I remember visiting the school and feeling at home immediately. When I heard they were going to integrate boys into the school I realized they weren’t doing well. I remember telling myself they would not have much time left before they shut down. I just didn’t think it would happen this quickly,” she said. Dion added that she would always cherish the many friendships she formed while at the CSC.