New Catholic high school delayed (corrected)

Editor's note: SooToday.com has heard from Huron Superior Catholic District School Board Director of Education John Stadnyk.

He informs us that he may have accidentally given SooToday.com reporter Brad Coccimiglio some inaccurate information.

During the course of their interview, Stadnyk said they talked about dates for the central elementary school consolidations into St. Basils Secondary School as well as the secondary school consolidations into a new school and he believes he inadvertently gave Coccimiglio the date of the elementary school consolidations instead of the secondary school consolidations.

The target date to open a new Catholic High School is still September 2013 and the board is still hoping to consolidate a number of central elementary schools into St. Basil Secondary a year after the new high school opens, said Stadnyk, today.

"Of course this all depends on a number of factors but these are still the hoped for dates," said Stadnyk.

The plan to open a new Catholic high school in Sault Ste. Marie has been delayed about a year says Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board Director of Education John Stadnyk.

After a board meeting on Wednesday evening, Stadnyk said the wheels are in motion for the board to consolidate three schools - St. Mary’s College, St. Basil Secondary School and Holy Angels Learning Centre.

Trustees approved the consolidation of the schools in January and were hoping to have the new school opened by September 2013.

“If all goes well, September 2014,” Stadnyk said. “But sometimes along the way you hit variables and construction issues so I believe what we’re trying to do is set a realistic goal to ensure that the building is complete.”

Stadnyk said that the process is coming along as they are in the process of lining up a site for the new school.

“We’ve been awarded the funding announcement and we’re trying right now to close the deal on the property,” said Stadnyk. “Once we have that done we will then go out and look for an architectural consultant to begin designing it. There will be a selection process for that and hopefully it will be done within the next month or two.”

He said the board has a location in mind but he couldn't yet disclose that information.

“We have an idea [for the location] but we’re in the process of negotiation so we’ll release that at the appropriate time,” Stadnyk said.

As part of the provincially-mandated process to consolidate schools the board undertook an accommodation review process, which involved representatives from all of the affected schools.

The representatives unanimously voted for the consolidation.

For further information on the initial announcement of consolidation, click here

To see the consolidation approval announcement, click here