Update on consolidation of East End Catholic schools

The final meeting of the committee charged with determining the impact of consolidating the Sault's East End English Catholic schools is scheduled for September 28.

The Huron-Super Catholic District School Board's accommodation review committee is expected to summarize and report on three meetings with parents, community members and other stakeholders.

It's due to submit that report along with recommendations to board senior staff on October 14.

Board staff will consider those recommendations and add some of their own, before bringing it to the board at a special meeting on October 28.

In June, Sault MPP David Orazietti announced $9.7 million to build a new Catholic elementary school in the city's East End.

The review committee is part of the process that Ontario's Ministry of Education put in place to consolidate schools.

Once the ministry requirements for this process have been met, the board can look at having plans for the new school drawn up and submitted for approval before tendering them for construction.

The board hopes to have construction on the new East End school underway by June, but at a board meeting tonight, Director of Educaton John Stadnyk warned trustees that there are several junctures at which plans could be delayed.

A similar process is also going on in Elliot Lake, where the board is looking at consolidating its schools.

The final meeting of the accommodation review committee for Elliot Lake is scheduled for Wednesday, October 5.

The committee's report and recommendations are expected to be received by board senior staff on October 21.

The Huron-Superior board is expected to meet in Elliot Lake to hear recommendations from the review committee and its senior staff members on October 27.

Also at tonight's meeting, the board announced the beginning of an amalgamation of the French and English boards in Hornepayne.

As a result of that amalgamation, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School becomes the board's 26th school.

The full text of a media release from the board on its new school follows:

************************* HSCDSB welcomes new school community

(SAULT STE. MARIE) - The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board is proud to welcome Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School into its community of Catholic schools.

Holy Name of Jesus is located in the town of Hornepayne and boasts a long history of service to Catholic education in that community.

The addition of Holy Name of Jesus brings to 26 the number of schools in the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board. “This is an exciting time for our board as we welcome a new school into our Catholic learning community. We know it can be a time of nervous anticipation for everyone involved and are already in the process of making this amalgamation a smooth one.” said Chair of the Board of Trustees Marchy Bruni.

Holy Name of Jesus has had previous interaction with HSCDSB schools in Wawa and White River for athletic functions so there is a sense of familiarity between some of the staff members and students.

“The process to integrate Holy Name into our board is underway. It is similar to the previous amalgamation that resulted in the formation of the HSCDSB but, it is unique in its own right,” said Director of Education John Stadnyk.

“We are working with staff to make sure the students at Holy Name continue to get the best Catholic education possible during this transition period,” added Stadnyk.

Holy Name of Jesus has a student population of 34.5 students and is led by Principal Laurie MacEachern.

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