Catholic board looks for site for new Sault high school

The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board is in the market to buy a nice chunk of land on which to build a brand-new secondary school.

Yesterday at the Catholic Education Centre, Sault MPP David Orazietti announced $43 million in funding for the new high school that will replace St. Mary's College and St. Basil Secondary School.

Huron-Superior Board Chair Laurie Aceti (shown) said this news is good on several levels.

Not only does it mean students will benefit from up-to-date facilities and spaces, it's also a huge endorsement from the province for Catholic education and for Sault Ste. Marie, Aceti says.

Orazietti said this funding represents the largest single contribution to an education infrastructure project by the province to date.

The actual finished school is a few years away, however.

Once the board has secured a suitable property it will begin the process of creating a request for proposals, choosing contractors, designing the school, securing permits and finally starting construction.

"Now the real work begins!" said Aceti.

The full text of a news release from David Orazietti's office follows.

***************************** Orazietti announces $43 million for new high school to support student success

Province delivers investment for fifth new state-of-the-art school in Sault Ste. Marie since 2003

SAULT STE. MARIE - The province is delivering $43 million for a new state-of-the-art Catholic secondary school for the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board (HSCDSB) that will allow for the consolidation of Holy Angels Learning Center, St. Basil Secondary School and St. Mary’s College and help ensure local students have the best resources to learn, grow and succeed, David Orazietti, MPP announced today.

“We are committed to improving the learning environment in our schools and to strengthening the local economy by creating construction jobs, which will facilitate building a school that can serve the community for years to come,” said Orazietti. “Previous provincial governments ignored the infrastructure needs of our local schools and let them fall into disrepair but we have made improving education a top-priority and significantly increased per pupil base funding as well as made historic investments in building new schools in the Sault, for the first time in decades.”   The new secondary school in Sault Ste. Marie is receiving the largest level of funding of approximately 70 projects announced today province wide.

Work on the new secondary school is expected to begin later this year.

Once completed, the new high school will accommodate approximately 1,400 students.

Today’s announcement also includes provincial funding for renovations to existing schools and support for renewal projects that will deliver new roofs, windows and boilers to make local schools cleaner, greener and better places to learn.

“This announcement is truly a once in a lifetime event and we are ecstatic that the Ministry of Education agreed with our Board’s Capital Plan proposal to construct a new Catholic secondary school in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Laurie Aceti, chair of the HSCDSB. “This is a great day for Catholic education and we are very appreciative of the support shown by our local MPP in helping make this project a reality.”

“A new secondary school will provide our students with a modern learning environment that is second to none,” said John Stadnyk, HSCDSB director of education. “This new facility will not only be a benefit to the students that first walk through its doors, but to all Catholic elementary students who will know that the secondary school they will be attending will provide them with everything they need to reach their full potential.”

In April, the province announced additional per pupil funding for all school boards, which brings the total increase to Sault and area schools to $34 million over the last eight years.

The province has committed a total of $194 million in base funding for local school boards in the 2011-12 grants for student needs (GSN), despite a decline in enrolment of 5,045 students during the same period.

Provincial investments in education since 2003 are delivering results as test scores are continuing to improve in reading, writing and math and graduation rates have increased from 68 percent to 81 percent.

Since 2004, the Good Places to Learn initiative and other capital development programs have resulted in school improvement funding including:

- Algoma District School Board is receiving $106.9 million to undertake various school improvement projects

- Huron Superior Catholic District School Board is receiving $30.4 million to undertake various school improvement projects

- Conseil Scolaire Catholique du Nouvel Ontario is receiving $64.7 million to undertake various school improvement projects

New school infrastructure funding of approximately $127.4 million includes:

- $46.7 million for the Algoma District School Board to construct Superior Heights Secondary School

- $43 million for the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board to construct a new secondary school

- $15.5 million for the Algoma District School Board to construct a new Francis H.Clergue Elementary School

- $12.2 million for the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board to expand St.Patrick Elementary School

- $10.4 million for the Conseil Scolaire Catholique du Nouvel Ontario to expand Ecole Notre-Dame-du-Sault

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