Despite the school opening for students in September, the ribbon has now been officially cut on the new St. Patrick Catholic School in Grande Prairie.
The decision to knock down the original facility came after dangerous levels of black mould were identified in 2017. A modernization project for St. Patrick was scheduled before the mould became a problem; however, officials say they were hoping for a new school entirely.
With 285 students currently enrolled, the new building features modern amenities with a focus on energy efficiency, student safety priorities, and an emphasis on STEM programming. Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the magnification of STEM streams of education is a crucial part of Grande Prairie’s growth as a budding community, calling STEM the “core education and industry needs” in Peace Country.
“We know that STEM training and streams of industry are in dire need of youth to be engaged,” she says.
The unveiling of the new school is also significant as the project marks Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides’ first of his term since being sworn in in June 2023. Nicolaides adds that the focus on STEM at the elementary level present in St. Patrick’s could be the beginning of a new trend for Alberta education.
“Those [STEM programs] are where the opportunities are in the future, more and more jobs are being integrated with technology or using robotics, or autonomous vehicles, and things like that are being employed in professions,” he says.
STEM programming is available through St. Patrick is available for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8.
