École Secondaire du Sommet Officially Opens
Halifax area students and the Acadian and French-language community came together to celebrate their new, state-of-the-art school and community centre today, Dec. 3.
Education Minister Marilyn More, students and school staff were joined by representatives from the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial, the Department of Canadian Heritage, and Halifax Regional Municipality for the official opening of École secondaire du Sommet in Bedford.
"This school has only been here for a short time, but already there is a strong sense of school and community pride," said Ms. More. "École secondaire du Sommet provides a modern learning environment for the students and a place for Acadian and French-speaking families to come together."
The school has been operating since September and has 312 students in grades 6 to 11. It will include Grade 12 next year. The school is one of four French-language schools in the Halifax area.
"Before obtaining homogeneous French schools in Nova Scotia, there was a long road to travel," said Kenneth Gaudet, Conseil scolaire acadien provincial board chair. "During my career in education, I had the privilege of seeing and participating in essential changes in order to maintain the French culture in Nova Scotia. This new school, is a witness to the vitality of the Acadian and Francophone population of the area."
Along with classrooms, music room and gymnasium, the building has community spaces, including a meeting room and a daycare. The school also has a cafetorium, which can be used as a cafeteria or auditorium to hold school performances or community events.
"Government's goal was to build a school and community center to meet the needs of the Acadian and Francophone community in the Halifax area," said Acadian Affairs Minister Graham Steele. "The francophonie, in all its diversity, is well represented here in the berceau de l'Acadie."
The community space was made possible through a $1.8 million contribution from the Department of Canadian Heritage. The province's contribution is about $19.5 million.