École J. H. Picard School
Encyclopedia
École J.H. Picard School is an elementary/junior/senior high school located on 99th street in Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
. It is well known for being the only Catholic school in Western Canada that provides complete French Immersion education from kindergarten to grade 12. It was established in 1972, to replace l'Académie Assomption, a private girls school. In 1984, J.H. Picard moved to its current location on 99th street, blocks away from Campus Saint Jean and Edmonton's francophone community and has since provided an immersive French program for thousands of students.
J.H. Picard prides itself in providing a tight-knit school community despite the diverse ages of the students. School assemblies
, for instance, include all students, often ranging from 5 to 18 years old. The Parent Council is very involved in the life of the school, recently building a new playground in 2000. The school's monthly newsletter, "Le Picardien," is a wealth of information made possible by contributions by teachers at all levels. The school is also home to daycare programs, providing after-school care to numerous students, as well as regular daily child care. J.H. Picard's acclaimed academic record is matched by the school's athletic achievements, including several regional championships by the J.H. Picard Pumas.
The school is named after Joseph Henri Picard
, a francophone politician from Edmonton
.
In April 2011, the ECSD
Board of trustees decided to place J.H. Picard as the number one priority for relocation on their Capital plan. If funding is given, the current (kindergarten to grade 12) location would close down and "relocate" as a junior/senior school in the Silverberry district of south east Edmonton. The new location would be a part of a sports/theatre complex, with a public high school. Previously on the Capital Plan, J.H. Picard was up for a major modernization (with theatre). The communities of Ritchie
and Hazeldean
have been working together with concerned parents to stop the closure of it's current location. These mature communites have been victim to urban sprawl
before. Ritchie Junior High and St. Margrets Elementary have closed. Yet, the neighboring Mill Creek Elementary has proven that parents and communities can overcome controversial decisions made by school trustees.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is well known for being the only Catholic school in Western Canada that provides complete French Immersion education from kindergarten to grade 12. It was established in 1972, to replace l'Académie Assomption, a private girls school. In 1984, J.H. Picard moved to its current location on 99th street, blocks away from Campus Saint Jean and Edmonton's francophone community and has since provided an immersive French program for thousands of students.
J.H. Picard prides itself in providing a tight-knit school community despite the diverse ages of the students. School assemblies
School assembly
A school assembly is a gathering of all or part of a school in order to communicate information and share learning experiences....
, for instance, include all students, often ranging from 5 to 18 years old. The Parent Council is very involved in the life of the school, recently building a new playground in 2000. The school's monthly newsletter, "Le Picardien," is a wealth of information made possible by contributions by teachers at all levels. The school is also home to daycare programs, providing after-school care to numerous students, as well as regular daily child care. J.H. Picard's acclaimed academic record is matched by the school's athletic achievements, including several regional championships by the J.H. Picard Pumas.
The school is named after Joseph Henri Picard
Joseph Henri Picard
Joseph Henri Picard was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a municipal councillor in Edmonton.-Biography:...
, a francophone politician from Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
.
In April 2011, the ECSD
Edmonton Catholic School District
The Edmonton Catholic School District is the Catholic school board in Edmonton, Canada.-Size and transportation:In size the School Board is medium with 33,441 students, 1,858 Certificated Staff, and 1,191 Classified Staff. There are a number of schools operating under the board, 84 schools in...
Board of trustees decided to place J.H. Picard as the number one priority for relocation on their Capital plan. If funding is given, the current (kindergarten to grade 12) location would close down and "relocate" as a junior/senior school in the Silverberry district of south east Edmonton. The new location would be a part of a sports/theatre complex, with a public high school. Previously on the Capital Plan, J.H. Picard was up for a major modernization (with theatre). The communities of Ritchie
Ritchie, Edmonton
Ritchie is a residential neighbourhood in south east Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is named for the original owner of the Ritchie Mill and former mayor of the City of Strathcona...
and Hazeldean
Hazeldean, Edmonton
Hazeldean is a residential neighbourhood in south east Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The neighbourhood overlooks the Mill Creek Ravine.The neighbourhood is bounded on the west by 99 Street, on the south by 63 Avenue, on the east by the Mill Creek Ravine, and on the north by 72 Avenue.- Residential...
have been working together with concerned parents to stop the closure of it's current location. These mature communites have been victim to urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
before. Ritchie Junior High and St. Margrets Elementary have closed. Yet, the neighboring Mill Creek Elementary has proven that parents and communities can overcome controversial decisions made by school trustees.