The Sturgeon School Division has still not confirmed the location for the new non-faith-based Morinville Public Elementary School for grades 1 to 4, but all indications are that classes will be held in the town’s new Community Cultural Centre.
“Three preschool classes and one kindergarten class are confirmed to start school in September in the [St. Jean Baptiste] Parish Hall. And, at the moment, we are finalizing the negotiations for a short-term lease for the Morinville Cultural Centre for grades 1 to 4,” said Mary McGregor, associate superintendent for Sturgeon School Divisions’ student services.
On Tuesday, the agreements were being finalized and letters were being sent out to parents regarding registering their children in the newly named school.
The short-term lease will only be in place until the end of December. At that time, it’s expected there will be two modular classrooms available to be placed adjacent to Georges P. Vanier School.
Both modular units will be supplied by Alberta Education, one of which had previously been committed for Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools to use at Notre Dame School in Morinville.
“We have made accommodation for the modular classroom to be used, though we will be a little crowded,” said Greater St. Albert Catholic School board chair Lauri-Ann Turnbull.
Enrolment numbers for the new school are estimated at 55 students between the preschool classes and Grade 4. Most of those are registered for preschool and kindergarten classes, so for this year at least, the Catholic board does not anticipate any difference to staffing or classroom sizes at Georges P. Vanier or Notre Dame elementary schools.
“As of July 13, Vanier will have eight fewer students and Notre Dame will have 12 fewer students, but those are spread throughout all the grades,” Turnbull explained.
Some registrants for Grades 1 to 4 at the new school may previously have been registered outside of the Catholic system at Namao School or Camilla School in Riviere Qui Barre.
The principal of the new school will be Wayne Rufiange, who until June was vice-principal at Sturgeon Heights School. Interviews for the new teaching positions were scheduled this week.
Grades 5 to 12 will be bused to existing Sturgeon schools.
