A recommendation on the table at the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board meeting Monday night could see two new French immersion programs introduced into the region.
The decision could breathe new life into St. Gregory Catholic Elementary School in Tecumseh.
It's been five months since the doors closed at St. Gregory due to low enrollment, but classes could soon be back in session.
“This is a good news story,” says Tecumseh councillor Mike Rohrer. “It's not perfect, but it's the best of all potential outcomes for this property."
Rohrer will be at the meeting Monday, where trustees will vote on the recommendation.
“I mean, we are where we are, “says Rohrer. “This is a reality, the school is closed. This is the best solution for this school and for our community. So, I think at the end of the day folks are happy this is happening.”
Rohrer, like many parents, fought to keep St. Gregory open last spring. At the time they pitched the idea of French immersion, but the school board says it would have been a very costly endeavour.
“It was very difficult to make a focused investment,” says director of education Paul Picard. Now that our financial situation is very good, we believe it's an ideal time to move forward in this regard."
The recommendation would see St. Joesph's in River Canard become a duel-track school, with the former St. Gregory site becoming a single track French immersion program. Both options are would start this fall with junior kindergarten, senior kindergarten and Grade 1 classes.
“If we see that the demand is such that we could further expand it to year one or year two up to the Grade 3 level then we would most certainly be open to that," says Picard.
Picard says the school board is now seeing a budget surplus of nearly $10 million in addition to a high demand from parents.
The special board meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Windsor Essex Catholic Education Centre. In addition, a French immersion information session for Saint Gregory's is planned for Wednesday night at the Tecumseh library.
