Design work on Saskatoon’s new French school is about one-third complete, but the province says it is still too early to provide a cost estimate or construction timeline. Sean Wilson, minister of SaskBuilds and procurement, said officials are waiting for the design to progress further before releasing those details. “We’re very careful not to put out the numbers until we see how the design plays out,” Wilson said. The school, planned for Saskatoon’s Kensington neighbourhood, will accommodate about 400 pre-kindergarten to Grade 6 students and include a 51-space child-care centre. The new school will become Saskatoon’s second francophone elementary school. Education Minister Everett Hindley said the project will help meet the needs of a growing community and rising demand within Saskatchewan’s French-language school system. “This is a growing area in Saskatoon, and it’s also growing demand for expansion within our French school system. From my understanding, they are very much at capacity,” Hindley told reporters Thursday. Some people have questioned on social media why the school will be French-language only rather than French immersion or English. Claude-Jean Harel of Conseil des écoles fransaskoises, Saskatchewan’s only francophone school division, said francophone schools serve a different purpose than immersion programs. “Without a francophone school, there won’t be a francophone community in the future,” Harel said. Hindley said the province must account for the needs of the entire education system, including French-language schools, when planning for future growth. “The French community in Saskatchewan has a strong history and strong culture, and we need to recognize that,” he said. Other communities in Saskatchewan are also getting new French-language schools. Regina opened its third French school in March, and Prince Albert is set to get a new one that will replace École Valois.
