Summerside French school aims for grades 10-12

The parents' council at Ecole-Sur-Mer in Summerside is hoping to expand the school to include grades 10 through 12.

Currently when students finish grade nine, they can go to an English high school in Summerside or they can travel to Ecole Evangeline, in Abram's Village, west of Summerside, to finish their studies in French.

Parents will meet Monday night to talk about the possibility of adding the high school grades to Ecole-Sur-Mer.

There are currently seven students in grade nine and five in grade eight.

Gilles Benoit, chair of the parents' council, said the school was expanded in the past to accommodate grades seven to nine, so most of the infrastructure is already there. Benoit said there are many advantages to allowing the students to remain at the school through until graduation.

"We are saying that first, French education is going to win. The French Language School Board is going to win by keeping more kids in French education," he said.

"Also what we're saying is Summerside is the second largest city here in P.E.I. It is important that we have French education first language from kindergarten to 12."

In addition to Monday's meeting parents will also be surveyed. If there is consensus to move forward, the parents' council will meet with the French Language School board. The board would then sit down with the Education Department to discuss plans.

Benoit would like to see a grade 10 class added as early as this fall.