Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 23, 2008

HAY RIVER - The GNWT is being taken to court to force it to solve overcrowding problems at Ecole Boreale, the French-language school in Hay River.

The court action was launched June 12 by Commission Scolaire Francophone de Division, the French-language school board based in Yellowknife.

Paul Theriault, the board's superintendent, said the board has applied to the Supreme Court of the NWT to order the territorial government to find a solution to the space problem by the time a new school year begins on Aug. 25.

"From our perspective, it's a critical situation," Theriault said.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment would not say much about the issue, since it is before the courts.

"We are continuing to work in the community of Hay River to find appropriate space for Ecole Boreale and we hope to resolve this issue before the next school year," said Shawn McCann, the manager of public affairs with the department.

The two sides will appear before Justice Louise Charbonneau on June 24 in Yellowknife.

It is projected the school will have 123 students in the fall when Grade 11 is added and a new crop of kindergarten students arrive.

"There's really no room in the existing school for high school students," Theriault said.

Ecole Boreale had about 93 students up to Grade 10 during the current school year.

The school, which opened in 2005, was originally designed for 95 students in kindergarten to Grade 6. It has been adding grades as students advance in the school.

Theriault said meetings have been held with department officials since November on the overcrowding problems, but no solutions have been reached despite the government's promises.

A number of options have been considered.

The most likely solution is leasing space in the community for two or three years and moving Grade 7-11 students out of the existing Ecole Boreale building.

Theriault said that would offer "sufficient breathing space" to find funding for a proposed expansion of the school and to complete the work.

The superintendent said the Department of Public Works and Services has looked at vacant space in the Hay River high-rise. There is enough space there for three classrooms, a lab and a small kitchen, Theriault said.

Available space above the community's bakery will also be considered this week.

Portable classrooms are low on the consideration list, Theriault said, noting it is cheaper to lease space.

Another unlikely option, according to Theriault, is obtaining space in another Hay River school.