Sault MPP David Orazietti announced this afternoon that the province will spend $6.7 million to turn the former Alexander Henry High School into a second public French immersion school for elementary kids.
The announcement was made at the Alexander Henry site.
According to enrolment projections, the school will accommodate approximately 620 French Immersion students, with another 600 at Francis H. Clergue French Immersion school.
There has been a clear, identified need for a second, permanent French Immersion school in Sault Ste. Marie for several years, says the chair of the Algoma District School Board.
A Francis H. Clergue French Immersion school council report for the 2012-2013 school year, for example, noted the ADSB supports the idea of a second French Immersion facility at the old Alexander Henry school and had hoped to have it in place as soon as 2014.
There are approximately 630 JK to Grade 2 children currently enrolled in French Immersion at Clergue and approximately 400 Grades 3 to Grade 8 children enrolled in French Immersion at Rosedale public school.
"When we built the new Clergue French Immersion school (which opened in September, 2011) we ideally thought it would house all our French Immersion students, but it wasn't long before we realized French Immersion was trending up in numbers and it was becoming the choice of many of our families, and we realized we were going to have capacity issues at the school," said ADSB chair Jennifer Sarlo, speaking to SooToday earlier this week.
That led to the setting up of French Immersion programming at Rosedale public school.
"It is part of our capital plan (to house French Immersion students at a renovated Alexander Henry), it is definitely very much a priority," Sarlo said.
"It is our highest priority…(because of capacity issues relating to French Immersion) we have portables at Rosedale this year."
Moving some French Immersion students to the Henry would free up space for Francis Clergue students to better utilize the facilities at the school, such as Clergue's gymnasium, science labs and music rooms, Sarlo said.
"Because it's a former secondary school, one of the primary focus areas (of the renovations) will be making things to the height and size of younger students, along with the usual mechanical upgrades," said Lucia Reese, ADSB director of education.
The Henry site's facilities, including its gym facilities, will still be available for community use.
"We figure it'll take at least a year to a year-and-a-half to do the renovations, and the good news is that it's a retrofit which means it'll be inside, which will allow us to make some good gains through the winter months which we're not always able to do with other projects," Reese said.
A September 2017 opening date is possible, ADSB officials said.
The ADSB will consult with parents as to whether to change the site's name to Rosedale French Immersion school.
The current Rosedale school would close down and become surplus ADSB property, Reese said.
"The Rosedale site is dated in some ways," Orazietti said.
"Much of our school infrastructure is quite frankly in need of replacement…and now needs to be upgraded and invested in, but it is not a small feat and it is not an inexpensive task."
Friday's funding announcement is therefore significant, said Orazietti, as there are 72 school boards across the province all vying for funding for upgrades and improvements to their schools.
Within its geographical area of jurisdiction, the ADSB also currently offers secondary-level French Immersion at Superior Heights Collegiate in the Sault, as well as at Elliot Lake Secondary School and Esten Park public school in Elliot Lake.
A press release from Orazietti's office follows:
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The Ontario government is investing $6.7 million for a capital school improvement project within the Algoma District School Board (ADSB), David Orazietti MPP announced today.
“Our government continues to support local students with significant investments in better schools to support better learning outcomes for students," said Orazietti. “This is an important step in moving the capital plan of the Algoma District School Board forward, but more importantly, it represents an enhanced learning environment to support students and their families.”
The provincial investment of $6,761,618 will support the retrofit of the former site of the Alexander Henry High School for elementary K – 8 students.
“We are so fortunate that the Ontario Government and MPP David Orazietti remain committed to student achievement, quality learning spaces and to maintaining Ontario as one of the best education systems in the world. Our Board of Trustees and Senior Administration are equally committed and we are proud of our work to ensure our capital plan reflects fiscal responsibility, quality programs and an unwavering commitment to student achievement,” said Lucia Reece, Director of Education, Algoma District School Board. “Today’s funding to support the retrofit of Alexander Henry High School is an example of effective use of existing space that will help us address enrolment pressures, provide quality programs and enhance partnerships for years to come.”
Since 2003, the provincial government has increased ADSB per pupil funding by $5,690, an increase of 66 per cent, for a total of $14,324 per student.
Additionally, the province has made numerous improvements to the funding formula since 2003, created new programs to support students and made it possible to protect 80 local teaching positions and 51 early childhood educator positions that would have been eliminated with declining enrollment.
Giving students the best possible learning environment is part of the government’s plan for Ontario.
The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure savings plan.
Since 2003, the Ontario government has invested nearly $90 million in new schools and school infrastructure projects at the ADSB some of which include:
- $47 million for new Superior Heights Secondary School
- $15.5 million for new Francis H. Clergue Elementary School
- $7.1 million capital funding to support implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten Program
- $6.7 million for Alexander Henry High School retrofit for K-8 students
- $5.25 million for Central Algoma Secondary School JK-6 addition
- $4.5 million for energy efficiency projects at ADSB schools
- $630,000 for expansion of East View Public School
QUICK FACTS
· Over the next 10 years, the province will provide school boards with more than $11 billion to help build new schools in areas of high growth, improve the condition of existing schools and invest in projects to reduce surplus space through school consolidations
- In April 2015, the province announced $120 million in new funding dedicated to building safe, high quality, licensed child care spaces in schools across the province
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(PHOTO: Lucia Reese, ADSB director of education, Jennifer Sarlo, ADSB chair and Sault MPP David Orazietti after it was announced the province will invest $6.7 million into renovating the former Alexander Henry high school into a JK-8 French Immersion school, October 23, 2015. Darren Taylor/SooToday)