Richard Froese
South Peace News
St. Andrew’s School in High Prairie welcomed Lesser Slave Lake MLA Scott Sinclair recently to discuss plans by Holy Family Catholic Regional Division to construct a new school building.
Sinclair visited the school Feb. 13 and met with board chair Kelly Whalen, Supt. Betty Turpin and school administration to discuss the next steps in advocating for a new school building.
The board discussed the meeting with Sinclair at its meeting Feb. 19.
At its regular meeting Jan. 22, the board appointed High Prairie trustee Leanne Cox, Grimshaw trustee George Chuckvar, Western Cree Nation trustee Donna Duda and Fairview trustee Jessica Richard as the alternate to the St. Andrew’s ad hoc committee.
Holy Family hopes to involve the community to be active in advocating for the project.
The committee continues moving forward with the project, which is top capital priority for Holy Family.
Division administra- tion will also be involved on the committee as needed.
Turpin says the aging school facility has long been a priority for Holy Family.
“St. Andrew’s School has been our number-one capital project for a number of years,” Turpin stated in a news release March 9, 2023.
She says the current facility was constructed in 1957 as a one-storey school building. Several additions were completed in 1963, 1971, 1985, 1990, 1991 and 1998.
Cox stated in a March 2023 news release the school needs a modern building.
“Our students and staff deserve the most modern facilities,” said Cox, a graduate and former teacher at St. Andrew’s.