PRINCE ALBERT — The Prince Albert Catholic School Division says École St. Mary High School’s status as a dual track school is behind the request to add two relocatable classrooms.
School division trustees voted to submit an application for two new classrooms to the Ministry of Education at their last regular meeting in their current form on Monday.
Director of Education Lorel Trumier said that the important aspect of the application is the continuing growth in enrolment at St. Mary High School because it is dual track.
“We're also creating more opportunities for diverse programming. All of those things, really make it a viable option to put portable there and have the use of space,” Trumier said.
This is the fourth consecutive year the board has submitted a request for relocatable classrooms. Without the new classrooms, reads a board memo, the school may struggle to address future student population levels.
"COVID hit and then the numbers across the province really shifted and we get that,” Trumier said. “We're seeing the growth that we anticipated and expected so we want to make sure that we have the space to accommodate our students and to continue viable programming.”
Dual-track schools require spaces for both English and French Immersion students at each level.
Trumier said that all of the major cities such as Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina are feeling the pinch of this growth.
She said the division will continue to make a case until they get these portable classrooms.
“I think that as we do these applications this is information that we really want to make sure that the ministry knows and we're hoping to have some response on,” Trumier said.
HUB program has resumed in Prince Albert
A program that assists students in need in Prince Albert has returned after being suspended temporarily in Oct. 2023.
The Prince Albert Catholic School Division board of education was informed that the HUB program has begun meeting again this fall during their regular meeting on Monday.
"There may have even been a slight pause for a period of time and we're happy to see that Hub is going to resume,” Director of Education Lorel Trumier said.
Trumier said that the division was happy to be returning to the table for the HUB program.
HUB is a proactive multi-agency inter-ministerial team designed to mobilize services to an individual or their families. The hub provides immediate, coordinated response to mitigate the elevated risk to reduce harm, crime and victimization. The goal is to help students who need support for things happening outside of school.
Meetings take place at the Prince Albert Police Service downtown substation each week. Connections to those in need of service typically occur Thursday afternoon.
Partners included both school divisions, PAPS, RCMP, the Ministry of Social Services (Child Protection Unit) and Mobile Crisis.
“I think it's a very positive story here in Prince Albert that the hub continues,” Trumier said. “We know that lots of agencies have to make their commitment to it for it to be successful and we're grateful at the school division level here that the agencies in our city see the need and want to continue this proactive work.”
