École J. H. Picard School

École J. H. Picard School
Address
7055 99 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta, T6E 3R4
Canada
Coordinates 53°30′27″N 113°29′07″W / 53.50750°N 113.48528°W / 53.50750; -113.48528Coordinates: 53°30′27″N 113°29′07″W / 53.50750°N 113.48528°W / 53.50750; -113.48528
Information
School type Elementary/junior/senior high
Motto "we are family"
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
Founded 1972
School board Edmonton Catholic School District
Superintendent Joan Carr
Area trustee Laura Thibert
Principal Michelle Dupuis
Grades K-12
Language English, French immersion
Area Hazeldean
Website www.jhpicard.ecsd.net

École J.H. Picard School is an elementary, junior, and senior high school located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is presently the only Catholic school in Western Canada that provides complete French Immersion education from kindergarten to grade 12.

History

The school is named after Joseph Henri Picard, a francophone politician from Edmonton and was officially opened on September 9, 1973 at a cost of $1 210 000.00 to replace l'Académie Assomption, a private girls school originally run by the Sisters of the Assumption, and College St. Jean for boys. The original location of the school was located at 8828 95 Street since 1984 in the Bonnie Doon community not far from Campus Saint Jean, and Edmonton's French Quarter. Many dignitaries attended the official opening of the school including; Archbishop Anthony Jordan, Hon. Lou Hyndman Minister of Education, Julian Koziak, MLA, Edmonton-Strathcona, Dr. Ivor Dent, Mayor of the City of Edmonton and Lt. Governor Dr. Grant MacEwan.[1] The school remained at that location until 1984, when it moved to its current location, 7055 99 St NW, originally the location of St. Mary's high school. The former location of Picard became École Maurice-Lavallée, a francophone rather than French immersion school, and later became part of a separate board following the 1990 Mahe v Alberta court case.

In 2000 the parents' council for J.H. Picard helped fund the building of a new playground.

As early as the late 1990s J.H. Picard was place on the list for a major modernization which would have included a completely updated theater space. In 2011, the ECSD Board of trustees decided to place J.H. Picard as the number one priority for relocation on their Capital plan. The plan would have entailed relocation of the Junior and Senior high school to the Silverberry district of south east Edmonton. The new location would have been shared a property with the adjacent Meadows community Recreation Center as well with a possible new Edmonton Public Schools high school. Due to pressure from the current parents committee at the time the Catholic School board trustee board changed their minds and shelved the relocation plan.

In 2014 the Edmonton Catholic School board approved and commenced construction of the modernization of the 99th Street site, which temporarily displaced the elementary grades to across the field at the former St. Margaret school building. Construction was completed in February 2017. Renovations included an expansion of the parking lot, a new sound and recording studio, newly renovated Drama instruction and rehearsal space as well as other modernizations of technology.[2]

The Present

École J.H. Picard is now as arts academy with an emphasis on the fine arts and performing arts. The drama program has put on numerous productions, including Othello, Annie, West Side Story, and for the first time in its history put on a Jr.High Production: the Lion King.' The students operate an inhouse daily broadcast call JHPTV, as well as taking advantage of social media and email to replace the monthly newsletter "The Picardien."

The school continues to field sports teams in Junior and Senior high, participating in Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, and Track & Field. The school sports teams are known as the Pumas.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Official Opening J.H.Picard School (in English and French). p. 2. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  2. ↑ "J.H.Picard modernization". Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  3. ↑ J. H. Picard School
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