Holy Cross to serve as 'temporary' French school for Grades 7-12 in St. John's

A vacant junior high school in St. John's will serve as a "temporary solution" for French students, by offering Grades 7-12.

The decision comes this week after a unanimous votebytrustees at a meeting of the Conseilscolairefrancophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador (CSFP).

"This is a short-term plan and it is for fiveyears," saidKim Christianson, director of education of CFSP.

• Province considering Holy Cross building for St. John's 2nd French school

The currently-empty Holy Cross School on Ricketts Road, which is owned by the Roman CatholicEpiscopal Corporation of St. John's, will house the dozens of students.

But Christianson saidthe goal is to move on from that building eventually.

"The long-term plan is to request or put in a proposition to have a full-time or permanent school in St. John's," she said, noting the city's west end is a possibility, but it's too soon to tell.

Existing school expansion a no-go

Currently, l'cole des Grands-Vents on Ridge Road is the only French school in St, John's thereare four others in the province.

Overcrowding issues had plagued the school, but some parents at a meeting in April had argued against separating older and younger students believing more efforts should be focused on housing all French students in one building.

"It's not doable, it's not the best solution to meet the needs ... To expand this current school is not an option," Christianson said, citing studies on the issue.

She said keeping all students together might be good in theory, but has major practical problems.

"[L'cole des Grand-Vents] is not made for students that are at the senior level. The gymnasium is not the full-size for a high school, there are no science labs," Christianson said, noting the school is also shared with several French organizations.

The opening of the new, temporary, school is slated for September.