Province funds major expansion of Callander Catholic elementary school

A major expansion is coming to St. Theresa Catholic Elementary School in Callander, Ont. Eric Taschner has the latest.

A major expansion is coming to a Catholic elementary school in Callander, St. Theresa Catholic Elementary School.

The school has secured more than $9 million from the provincial government to build new childcare rooms and expand classroom spaces.

For years, the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board has seen the region outside of North Bay grow and with that came a huge demand for classroom and childcare spaces.

“It’s a necessity to really expand this school,” Shawn Fitzsimmons, school board chair, told reporters Friday morning. “Enrollment in Catholic schools across the province is increasing. It speaks to our programs and staff.”

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli announced Friday that the Ontario Government is setting aside $9.4 million to add a new wing to the school, creating more than 90 new student classroom spaces and three new childcare rooms with more than 53 new licensed childcare spaces.

“Ontario recognizes the vital role that accessible childcare plays in supporting families across the province,” Fedeli said.

St. Theresa currently has about 365 students. It opened in 1997 as a JK-Grade 2 school in nearby Corbeil. The school grew by one grade until it included Grade 6 in 2001.

Then the school community moved to a new facility in Callander in September 2006. The school now offers a regular English program and an Early French Immersion program from JK to Grade 8.

“As a Catholic education community, we often say to one another ‘We live in hope,’ and it’s moments like this one that remind us why we do,” said Paula Mann, the school board’s director of education.

The expansion is a welcome sign for the Catholic board and comes at a time when the local public board, the beleaguered Near North District School Board is under the province’s control.

Fedeli said the difference between the boards is black and white.

“They’re cooperative. They’re understanding. They obviously share things with their … families that are involved,” Fedeli said.

“Then you see the other side, the other school board who did none of the above,” he added of the Near North board.

The school board saw the need for expansion about a decade ago and three years ago, it began to mobilize.

“This summer, I think in August, we really put our feet on the ground to get this thing going,” Fitzsimmons said.

The board is also looking at facelifts for other schools it controls.

Construction on the expansion will start in the spring and is anticipated to end in December 2027.