Sarah Holland
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 03/99) - After years of attending school in crowded portables, the faculty and students of Ecole Allain St.-Cyr now have a new building to call home, perched on the rock beside William McDonald school.

Both children and parents alike are excited about the new school.

Diane Marsh has two children at Allain St.-Cyr, Julia, who's in Grade 1 and Michael, who is in kindergarten.

"There was much anticipation to be in the new school. We drove by as often as we could this past summer while it was being built," says Marsh.

"My daughter Julia kept calling it her school, not realizing that her brother would be attending this year as well. But now she knows and says 'our school.'"

As for Marsh herself, she loves the new school.

"The colours are very interesting, very bright. They really stand out in the middle of the rock.

"This school is such a big improvement over the portables. They were so squished in there. The poor library, it was together with the computer room and you would have different classes trying to use the computers and the library."

Michelle Martel's daughter, Chantale, is in Grade 3 at the new school, and both parent and child love it.

"It's such a thrill," says Michelle, brimming with pride and excitement.

"After having the kids in those portables since we moved here, our son also went to Allain St.-Cyr, the new school is so bright and clean.

"It's a real dream come true seeing this happen."

Martel also likes the fact that they have integrated a day care into the school.

"Before, we had to transport Chantale from one place to another for day care. Now it's all right there. It's great. Plus, there is a big rotunda used for eating lunch and community events. Now we have a place to congregate for meeting and movies and such."

And how about Chantale, how does she feel about it?

"She could hardly sleep the night before school started. She really likes her new classroom and they're all alone on the second floor," says mom Michelle.

"Chantale was so proud to show us her new classroom."

It sounds like the parents are just as excited about the new school as the kids.