School Board Recommendations Accepted

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Education and Culture Minister Wayne Gaudet today announced three new schools for the Clare-Argyle area and a major renovation project for ecole Secondaire de Clare.

"This is another great step forward as we continue working to enrich education for Acadian, francophone and anglophone students across Nova Scotia," said Mr. Gaudet. "These new schools address needs identified by le Conseil scolaire acadien provincial and the Southwest Regional School Board. The plan implements the recommendations of a joint committee studying educational issues in the area."

The new schools include a replacement for le Conseil scolaire acadien provincial's ecole Ste-Anne-du-Ruisseau, grades 9-12, a new Primary to Grade 12 school for the Southwest Regional School Board in Argyle and a new Primary to Grade 12 school for the regional board in Clare.

ecole Secondaire de Clare will undergo a major renovation, creating a school with the same facilities, technology and educational advantages of the new schools.

"The people of these communities spent countless hours at many meetings finding a solution that answers the needs of their students," said Mr. Gaudet.

"A joint committee composed of representatives from the two school boards and the Department of Education and Culture studied the issues conscientiously and made thoughtful recommendations. Government has endorsed those recommendations by accepting them into our school construction plan.

"As minister, I will be speaking further with le Conseil scolaire acadien provincial and the Southwest Regional School Board," Mr. Gaudet said. "Together, in consultation with our communities, we will work to ensure these new schools will provide equitable and homogeneous learning environments for French-and English-first language students."

This continued consultation with le Conseil scolaire acadien provincial and communities will ensure that these new schools

• as well as ecole Pomquet and ecole Petit-de-Grat -- respect the charter rights of our Acadian and francophone students.

Community members and school boards continue to play an important role as the process of siting, designing and building the schools begins, said the minister. School steering teams will now be responsible for representing their communities and bringing ideas forward to government and the private sector partner.

ecole Secondaire de Clare's major renovation will capitalize on the existing building's strengths, such as its gymnasium and technology education facility which was added to the school in 1989. The building will be thoroughly assessed to determine which areas should be retained and which areas should be replaced.

The renovations will include modern air handling and building energy systems, new learning areas and a technology upgrade equivalent to any of the new schools in the province.

"In effect, what we are doing at ecole Secondaire de Clare is creating an entirely new school that will be considered one of the best high schools in the province," said Mr. Gaudet.

The three new schools and the renovated school are expected to be complete by September 2001.