Unwanted school?

Province asks French board to gauge interest in possible new high school

The province has asked the French school board to gauge interest in building a centralized high school in East Prince, a move the board and parents don’t support.

Board president Emile Gallant is unsure why the idea is being floated now, at a time when P.E.I.’s Public Schools Branch is embarking on an indepth study of English language school populations that could lead to rezoning and school closures by September 2017.

“I will not comment on that,” said Gallant.

A TC Media reporter reached out to the Department of Education, speaking with its communications officer Jean Doherty, but no comment was received by press time.

The French board is seeking an expansion at Summerside’s École-sur-Mer, so it can house high school grades, and an expansion and renovation at École Évangéline, which houses kindergarten through Grade 12.

“Those are our two No. 1 projects as a school board,” said Gallant.

“We submitted those to the province in the middle of September, the deadline for the school boards to send in their construction projects, capital projects, to the province.”

“A few days before that, the province approached us and asked us ‘would you consider doing a study in regards to building one high school in between Summerside and Evangeline for both populations?’” added Gallant. “This is not our idea.” Earlier this month, Écolesur-Mer welcomed its first high school students with the addition of Grade 10 at a facility originally built as an elementary school.

Building a centralized high school to make space for elementary and junior high students at the two existing schools was studied in the past by the board.

“We didn’t feel it was something that would be acceptable,” said Gallant.

But on the province’s request, two public meetings were scheduled, the first held Tuesday night. About 60 people attended and all opposed such a move, said Gallant.

“From the people who spoke, there is no interest in having a high school in the middle of the two regions,” said Gallant. “The Evangeline area has been in existence for over 50 years and they want to keep their students in their community.”

The second public meeting takes place at École-sur-Mer tonight at 6:30 p.m.

“Summerside is a growing school and students come from not only Summerside, but all over the area,” added Gallant. “They come from Borden, Albany, Kensington, Bedeque, Kinkora.”

There are now about 250 students at École Évangéline and 145 at École-sur-Mer.

Gallant said the Évangeline school is at least 50-years-old and is showing its age, with a new gym and an updated music room among the items on the list.

To accommodate the new Grade 10 class in Summerside the board is renting space from Centre Belle Alliance, the community centre in the same building.

The proposal submitted to the province would see an addition to the school to house Grades 10 to 12, including a science lab, industrial arts room and classrooms.

That school has already seen a physical expansion, with the addition of a music room approved by the province.

Construction is to start this fall.

What those projects would cost has not been calculated.