The Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario (CSPNE) and the Conseil scolaire catholique de district des Grandes Rivières (CSCDGR) held the official opening ceremony for the new École secondaire catholique et publique l’Alliance in Iroquois Falls on Friday.
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IROQUOIS FALLS — The Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario (CSPNE) and the Conseil scolaire catholique de district des Grandes Rivières (CSCDGR) held the official opening ceremony for the new École secondaire catholique et publique l’Alliance on Friday.
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The ceremony was attended by school board representatives, students and staff from the community’s catholic and public schools, as well as many dignitaries and community partners.
It was a special ceremony for the school community and the broader Francophone and Francophile community.
While the school was scheduled to officially open its doors in September 2020, events over the past two years have resulted in the official ceremony being postponed several times.
The event held on Friday was meant to be festive, in recognition of the patience and resilience of the students and staff who were eager to show off their new school.
The scope of the project underscores the importance of providing students and families in the region with a learning environment that is conducive to social, cultural and educational growth by creating a modern, warm and welcoming environment.
School board representatives, Langis H. Dion, president of the CSCDGR, and Denis Labelle, president of the CSPNE, were delighted to finally be able to celebrate the completion of this joint project for the well-being and success of students.
“We must absolutely acknowledge the important contributions of the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Government of Canada, which demonstrate how important French-language education is for Franco-Ontarian youth in Northern Ontario, by investing in the realization of this great collaborative project between the two boards in Iroquois Falls.”
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This project was conceived, designed and implemented to provide a school and community environment for students.
Obviously, the voice of the youth was very important to this event.
Amber Thomas, a Grade 12 student, wrote a text that was delivered by Marshall Bourgeois, on behalf of their classmates.
“It is definitely a privilege to have our own little school that belongs to us, a place that is ultimately ours!”
The directors of education from the two school boards, Sylvie Petroski (CSCDGR) and Yves Laliberté (CSPNE) also spoke during this long awaited event.
“Historically, this school has allowed many students, over the years, to excel and become proud and committed young citizens. Today, by being here, we are part of a great story … a success story! This project shows how much strength there is in unity. We have been able to work together for the good of the school and broader francophone community.”