New School For Digby County Students

A new school provides Digby County students with resources they've never had before. St. Mary's Bay Academy was officially opened today, May 20, in St. Bernard.

"St. Mary's Bay Academy is a fine example of our government's commitment to providing a quality education for students in rural parts of Nova Scotia," said Education Minister Angus MacIsaac.

The school accommodates 315 English-language students in Grades 7 to 12. It provides special classrooms and labs designed to accommodate classes in industrial arts, information technology and computers. The school has 150 new computers, a minimum of four in every classroom.

There is also a fully equipped music room. "Our students have never had access to a music room and proper equipment," said school principal Doris Fraser. "Already the music room has given our choir a proper place to practice."

The school and local communities will all benefit from a new, full-sized (8,400 sq. ft.) gymnasium that includes a high- performance wood sports floor.

The school was built at a cost of $9.5 million.

Eight new schools have been built in Nova Scotia since September 2001.