A new look and focus is on the way for École élémentaire catholique Paul VI in Hawkesbury.
On December 1, the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO) school board announced work will begin in the months ahead on more than $1 million in renovations at the elementary school, located on Main Street East. The project includes accommodating 78 more daycare spaces, a new exterior façade for the building, and an accessible entrance. The schoolyard upgrade will feature green spaces, a community garden, outdoor learning classrooms, a climbing wall, new soccer field, new playground equipment, a running track, and a rain garden.
“We’ve actively decided to revamp the school,” said CSDCEO Chair Jean Lemay.
He explained there is $3 million in the current repair budget for all 32 CSDCEO schools. In addition to the renovations at Paul VI, more than $1 million is being spent on renovations at École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Trinité in Rockland.
CSDCEO Director of Education Lyne Racine said preparations for the renovation are already in progress, but most work will be starting in the spring of 2023.
“It’s a big project,” Racine remarked.
She said the renovations will give the school more of a community focus and contribute to the revitalization of the downtown area in Hawkesbury. Similar comments were also made by Paul VI Principal Jean Lamadeleine.
“We need to change the vocation of the school,” he said.
The CSDCEO is attempting to make Paul VI a school where problem solving, collaboration, and the development of language skills in both French and English are encouraged to enable its students to achieve a high level of quality in bilingualism.
The December 1 evening announcement was not all serious business. The event was held outdoors in front of the building where the school choir performed. Student Lucas Lauzon enthusiastically introduced each guest speaker and student Tristan Couboura read the Indigenous land acknowledgement. A ceremonial ground-breaking was also held to signify the beginning of the renovations.
