Sutton School, with its unique model, celebrates 25 years

SUTTON, QC, April 25, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - For the past 25 years, two school boards have been sharing a building, a school principal and working together every day to ensure the success of the students of Sutton School from both the Val-des-Cerfs and the Eastern Townships School Boards. The masterminds of this unique partnership, which was officialized on April 14^th 1987, and those that continue to ensure its success, were gathered this morning to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the coexistence of an Anglophone and Francophone school under one roof.

On this occasion, Ms. Manon Lemaire, the current principal of the Sutton School, was eager to emphasize how the collaboration of students, parents, staff and the community makes the model of this school function to this day, in the community of Sutton, in addition to highlighting the innovative and visionary aspect of the project. "It takes a lot of cooperation to realize a project of this kind. Since the beginning of the adventure, the staff has formed a cohesive team which ensures that the welfare of the children is at the heart of all their decisions. We also know that we can count on the complete cooperation from students, parents and the community, and this is what guarantees the success of our bilingual school and conveys an incredible richness for tomorrow's adults," says Ms. Lemaire.

During his speech at the official opening 25 years ago, the Chair of the French School Board, Mr. Robert Boulanger, asked himself the question, "what will the future of this school be?" Just as Mr. Boulanger had hoped and predicted, "we cannot go wrong when dedicated people are involved in developing a school concept that aims to create the type of education geared to their own community, all the while being respectful of the rules of the province's education guidelines and being dedicated to the children." "Today's celebrations are proof of this" underline the Chairman of the Eastern Townships School Board and the Commissioner of the Val-des-Cerfs School Board, Messrs. Michael Murray and Serge Poirier.

Since the 1986-1987 school year, with Pauline Quinlan as the first principal of the school, the children of the French and English School Boards share the same school, while both receiving their academic curriculum in their mother tongue. The students are being bussed on the same school buses, share the same sports facilities, eat in the same cafeteria and play together in the same schoolyard at lunchtime and during breaks. They participate in extracurricular activities together, especially to represent the school in various competitions.

Caroline Dufresne, Communications Director
Eastern Townships School Board
Tel: [phone] - email: [email protected]

Jean Perrault, Head of communications
Val-des-Cerfs School Board
Tel : [phone], ext. 60316 - email: [email protected]