Georges P. Vanier will become the new public school in Morinville after the province announced on Friday the final settlement to the long-running secular schooling issue. St.
Georges P. Vanier will become the new public school in Morinville after the province announced on Friday the final settlement to the long-running secular schooling issue.
St. Albert’s two school boards will also have their roles reversed, with St. Albert Protestant Schools becoming a public division and St. Albert Catholic Schools becoming the separate board.
Through a cabinet order, education minister Jeff Johnson proclaimed the law reversing roles for the two St. Albert school boards and transferring Georges P. Vanier School to the Sturgeon School division. The law will come into force officially on July 1.
Proclaiming the law and transferring a school were the last formal steps in the long-simmering issue over secular education in Morinville.
“The community really needed some certainty and the one thing people were asking for was please make a decision on this issue,” said Johnson.
The issue arose because Greater St. Albert Catholic had been the public board in both St. Albert and Morinville. In Morinville it also operated all four of the town’s schools, leaving Morinville parents without a secular option.
Appointed education minister after the last election, Johnson said the ministry looked closely at the schools in Morinville and tried to come up with a solution that would be permanent and have the least long-term impact.
“Of all the different options the ministry looked at it, it become obvious that this was the best option, although it is not perfect and I know there are some in the community who will be disappointed with it.”
Using portables or busing Sturgeon school division students out of the community until a new school could be built were both raised as potential solutions at community meetings, but Johnson said those ultimately weren’t workable.
“There are capacity issues with some of the schools out in Sturgeon County and those weren’t seen as realistic permanent solutions for a community of that size to not have a public option.”
Portables will now be used at G.H. Primeau and Notre Dame elementary schools to accommodate increased enrolment at those schools.
Lauri-Ann Turnbull, chair of Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, said they were looking for an option that didn’t include losing a school, but they respect the board’s decision.
“We certainly were hopeful that there could have been a decision that would have not included handing over a school, but at the end of the day that was the minister’s prerogative and now we have to deal with the realities.”
The board’s focus now will be on making a smooth transition for students and on education, Turnbull said.
“We need to get down to the business of educating kids and that is the important thing right now.”
The Catholic board will be hosting information sessions for parents on Monday night at G.P. Vanier and on Tuesday at Notre Dame elementary.
Since the issue was first raised, the Sturgeon school division has offered a secular public program, first in the board’s offices and then in a series of modular classrooms.
Board chair Terry Jewell said having a permanent home is important.
“If you have no idea where they are going to go to school, it is not assuring at all,” he said. “Moms and dads don’t get excited about maybes with respect to where their kids go to school, they want some sort of definite idea.”
Jewell said he is confident the board can take over and get the school up and ready for September.
“It is not going to be an easy task. It is going to be difficult, but I am sure they will pull it off.”
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“If you have no idea where they are going to go to school, it is not assuring at all,” he said. “Moms and dads don't get excited about maybes with respect to where their kids go to school, they want some sort of definite idea.”
