Jean Augustine visits namesake school to celebrate official opening
BRAMPTON, ON, May 19, 2017 /CNW/ - The Peel District School Board's newest secondary school, Jean Augustine Secondary School, will get a visit from its namesake on May 25 for the school's official opening celebrations. Parents and community members are invited to attend a student-led open house that includes tours, activities and a special ceremony, featuring Jean Augustine.
"The focus at our school is truly inspired by Jean Augustine's mandate to empower students to achieve their potential through activism and service," says Sandra Dussiaume, principal at Jean Augustine Secondary School. "Students have been working hard for months to plan this school opening. We're all really excited to have Jean join us to celebrate and showcase our students' creative talents with our school community."
Jean Augustine Secondary School, which opened in September 2016, is the first school in Canada to be named for Canadian social justice advocate and politician Jean Augustine.
"I am honoured that the Peel District School Board chose to name the school after me," says Jean Augustine. "I am impressed at how everyone at the school has built such a strong school spirit. I'm looking forward to marking this occasion with everyone to celebrate this vibrant school community that I'm confident will be a beacon in Brampton!"
The open house will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community members and parents are invited to participate in student-led activities and tours that showcase the school's athletics, arts and innovation. A special ceremony will be held at 1 p.m., featuring Augustine and special guests. Tours of the school will continue from 5 to 7 p.m., with an additional opportunity to hear Augustine speak. For more details, view the full program.
The open house will also feature booths from community partners, as well as refreshments and food prepared by the school's hospitality students. In addition, guests will have an opportunity to help create the first piece of artwork to be displayed in the school.
Augustine became the first Black-Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons, sitting in Parliament from 1993 until 2006. During this period, she served as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, minister of state for multiculturalism and the status of women, and was a deputy Speaker. Augustine is also the former national president of the Congress of Black Women of Canada, and was instrumental in the declaration of February as Black History Month in Canada—a month celebrated in Peel schools and throughout the country.
Jean Augustine Secondary School is located at 500 Elbern Markell Dr. in Brampton. For more information and to view the full program, visit www.jeanaugustiness.com.
SOURCE Peel District School Board
Media Contact: Sandra Dussiaume, Principal, Jean Augustine Secondary School, 905-796-4562 or [email protected]; Reference: Nikki Johal, Communications Assistant, 905-890-1010 ext. 2098 or [email protected]
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