Following a public request for proposals, Penn-Co Construction will build a French-language kindergarten to Grade 8 school in Winnipeg’s Sage Creek neighbourhood for Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister James Teitsma and Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced today.
“The new school will help meet current enrolment needs and future growth in the Sage Creek neighbourhood,” said Teitsma. “This will make a real difference for children in the community, ensuring they have access to a high-quality education in French close to home.”
The more than $47-million school will have an initial capacity of 450 students with an ability to expand by 100 students in the future. The initial capacity includes two cohorts of kindergarten to Grade 8 plus a 74-space infant and preschool child-care facility.
“This new school highlights our commitment to French-language education in our province and to making sure Manitoba families have access to a high-quality education,” said Ewasko. “The school and child-care facility will be a real hub for the community and will make it easier for students to get the education and care they need to be successful in the years to come.”
The school will also include 18 classrooms, a gymnasium, multi-purpose space, a life skills suite and a resource and guidance suite.
“Building francophone schools is crucial to blooming francophone communities, especially in a minority setting. It is important to remember that French education is not an expenditure but an investment,” said Bernard Lesage, board chair, Division scolaire franco-manitobaine. “Sage Creek is growing, and parents want to be part of the equation in getting a francophone neighbourhood school. On behalf of my colleagues, our parents and myself, I would like to thank the Manitoba government for supporting French education.”
Construction on the school is expected to begin by this fall, the ministers noted.
For more information on Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, visit https://www.dsfm.mb.ca/.
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