How does St. André Bessette Catholic School sound?
That’s the name chosen for the new Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board elementary facility being built in Lefroy, which is slated to open this fall. The announcement comes after a popular vote by the school community.
"One of the most anticipated and exciting parts of opening a new school is choosing the name, and we are excited about giving our beautiful new school in Innisfil an equally beautiful name," said board chair Maria Hardie in a media release.
"A lot of thought and consideration goes into choosing a name because it represents the moment in time when the students, staff and families can really begin to identify with and be proud of their new school," she added. "In many ways, the name symbolizes the beginning of a new and united community."
The board welcomes this school community into “our family with open arms," she said.
Several steps were involved in the process, including the establishment of a selection committee, the gathering of name suggestions from people including students, staff and family members, narrowing down the choices to three finalists, and then holding a community-wide final vote.
St. André Bessette, a native of Quebec who lived from 1845 to 1937, was renowned for his deep faith and dedication to caring for others. He is the patron saint of those who care for the sick and struggle academically, the board says.
Known as the "wonder-worker of Mount Royal,” he was also devoted to St. Joseph and inspired the construction of increasingly larger chapels in his honour, culminating in St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montréal, the world's largest church dedicated to St. Joseph, the board says.
The new two-storey school is currently under construction southeast of the Killarney Beach Road and 20th Sideroad intersection. This project, tendered at $19.5 million, is set to accommodate 493 students and a three-room child-care centre.
This 5.5-acre property is being developed almost directly across the 20th from Killarney Beach Public School.
Once complete, St. André Bessette will take in students and staff from Holy Cross and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic schools, alleviating accommodation pressures in these rapidly growing communities.
“The pace of growth in Innisfil has been steady and ongoing,” communications manager Pauline Stevenson said earlier this year. “With both existing (board) schools in Innisfil operating over capacity, the provision of a new school in Innisfil assists our board in serving the community with the necessary infrastructure for the area enrolment. The need for a new elementary site was identified through the Lefroy Secondary Plan process over a decade ago as residential development was proposed for the area.”
Recently appointed principal Marcelle Edinboro is accepting new registrations through the board’s registration portal.
