After four years of trying, Revelstoke will be getting it’s own French school starting this fall.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said Caroline Grenier, the Revelstoke parent who led the push for the school. “It’s almost hard to believe.”
The decision was made by the Francophone School Board of British Columbia at its meeting on Saturday and announced to the Times Review on Monday morning.
“I’m just very happy we are able to provide a francophone education within your community,” said Roger Hebert, a trustee with the school board. “I have great hopes in the school succeeding very well.
Last year at this time, the hopes of Francophone parents in Revelstoke were dashed when the school board voted against opening the school.
This year the board voted in favour; Grenier said she watched the vote live on a webcast Saturday morning.
The school will serve 12 students from Kindergarten to grade 2. It is expected to have 40 students by 2017. It is hoped that now that the school is official, parents that were hesitant to enrol their children will sign up.
Hebert cited Nelson as an example of a French school starting small but growing to a larger number of students.
A location for the school still needs to be decided.
Anne Cooper, the superintendent of the Revelstoke School District did not return a call for comment before press time.