Spotlight on the Leadership of a Visionary Team in Smithers

The parents’ association of l’école La Grande-ourse in Smithers is thinking big!

Did you know that l’école La Grande-ourse in Smithers has finally received funding for the construction of a temporary school?

The idea of creating the school came to life as a follow-up to an inspiring story that originated from the efforts of two parents, Mélanie Morin and Jason O'Bright. They wanted to offer an education in French to their son, who had not been able to obtain a space in an immersion school in Smithers. The couple then learned about their rights to education in French in a minority setting, and began the process of creating a Francophone school. The parents’ association (APÉ) was created, and was officially incorporated in 2019. The process of creating a Francophone school then began with the Conseil scolaire francophone (CSF). Thanks to the leadership of the APÉ board, in particular Marie-Eve Gauthier (president), Janvier Doire (treasurer), and Lea-Marie Bowes-Lyon (secretary), and their close collaboration with the CSF, the application was approved. The CSF, as part of its mission, is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to open new Francophone schools in the province in order to serve all communities.

The board of the current parents’ association is thinking even bigger, and supports a vision, along with the CSF, to ensure that a permanent school is built as soon as possible. This large-scale project could not have been conceived without the visionaries who are planning, as of today, the future of their school community, which is growing year after year.

Following this vision, the new permanent school would make it possible to continue to offer an education in French to the youngest students (kindergarten to grade 7), and also to students in grades 8 to 12 who are currently forced to continue their education in English due to a lack of spaces and resources in the temporary school.

Among the various projects the APÉ team is working on, we should also note the offering of a child care service during pedagogical days for elementary school students.

The team's leadership doesn't stop there!

One of its priorities is introducing the Francophone community to other Smithers residents. In addition to fundraising, parents and students participate each year in the multicultural activities organized by the Smithers Multicultural Society by sharing Francophone culture through songs, including the very popular Dégénérations by the Québécois group Mes Aïeux, and other classics such as À la Claire Fontaine and La Seine.

The APÉ team is delighted to have obtained a temporary school that includes a library and a gymnasium. The move is scheduled for this fall when the site will be landscaped. Outdoor play areas and garden boxes are planned.

Are you eager to see how their projects are evolving?

We’ll continue to closely monitor their progress, in order to highlight the work of these parent volunteers.

In the meantime, here’s the last word from the APÉ team: “This new school will help us continue to offer a quality Francophone program in Smithers and provide a gathering point for the region's Francophone community.”