Board Committee Recommends New School To Open In September 2007 
 
The Rainbow District School Board held three meetings with the public to seek input into the possibility of constructing a new elementary French Immersion school in Val Caron. After hearing all of the presentations and discussing all of the questions and concerns, the committee made a recommendation to the Board.

It came as no surprise that the committee recommended the closing of Val Caron Public School and the construction of a new facility at the site of the Valley View Public School on Valley View Road.

Board officials will decide whether to implement the recommendation May 23. If they decide to go ahead, the public will have 60 days for further input according to a timeline mandated by the province. 

If approved construction of a new $12 million school on Valley View Road would be completed by September 2007 and would then accommodate the students from both schools.
The only concerns expressed against the construction were from parents with children in Hanmer's Redwood Acres and Val Therese's Pinecrest Public Schools. Those parents are concerned that the plan would divide the community and create an elite level of education for bilingual students while their English language children are also in need of space and upgrading.

The Board's response so far has been that the French Immersion schools were a priority at this time.

It is expected that the Board will decide to go ahead with construction as recommended. 

  • There is absolutely no question that the new school will benefit the students. 

  • There is absolutely no question that the new school will benefit the community.

  • There is absolutely no question that the new school will benefit the local economy.

  • There is absolutely no question that the new school will benefit the Rainbow District School Board. 

The new building will be constructed on the existing grounds of the current Valley View Public School and will eventually have room for 500 students. It will also have enhanced facilities for physical education, instrumental music, visual arts, computer technology, a library and special education. In addition there would be a full daycare program on site and be much more cost-effective to operate.

            Valley East is growing in leaps and bounds compared to the rest of the region. While it is often hard to justify new construction in a city such as Greater Sudbury where the overall population is in a state of decline, Valley East is an anomaly and must be treated as such. The need to build a new school has been accepted by other school boards which have already, or which will soon be opening new schools in the community. The Rainbow District School Board is merely responding to a need that is long overdue.
 

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The Schools of Valley East by
Robert Kirwan, B.A. (Math), M.A. (Education)
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Member of the Ontario College of Teachers
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Office Phone: (705) 524-7006       Home Phone: (705) 969-7215