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Saskatoon

Construction gets started on new St. Frances Cree Bilingual School

St. Frances Cree Bilingual School was established in 2007. It has been operating in a temporary space, but now a new dedicated school is being built on Seventh Street East in Saskatoon.

Building will be on site of former Sion Middle School

Louise BigEagle · CBC News ·
The new building will replace the two separate temporary locations.
The new building will replace a previous temporary location. (Albert Couillard/CBC SRC)

Construction is underway on a new space for Saskatoon's Cree immersion school.

St. Frances Cree Bilingual School was established in 2007 thanks to a partnership between the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and Saskatoon Tribal Council.

The school gives students the opportunity to learn both the Cree and English languages.

It has been operating in a temporary space, but now a new dedicated school is being built on Seventh Street East in Saskatoon.

The new three-storey building will have capacity for around 600 students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 9. There will also be 70 childcare spaces available.

The school will give Indigenous students the chance to learn about their culture, identity and language.

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand was at the site Monday to help celebrate the start of construction. He said he didn't have opportunities like this as a kid.

"This is going to be a game-changer for the province, for the city, for the country. This will have around 700-plus students learning their culture, their language, their identity. We've always got to talk about putting that in the forefront, but also recognizing the past," Arcand said. "I congratulate everybody. Today is a special day."

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Hand was there for the start of construction celebration.
Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Hand was at the event on Monday for the start of construction. (Albert Couillard/CBC SRC)

The school will feature a research room, a learning greenhouse, an elder's teaching room and a medicine lab.

A nutrition kitchen is expected to serve 30,000 breakfasts, 44,000 snacks and 33,000 lunches to students annually.

Current and Future students with shovels to celebrate the construction
Current and future students took part in the shovel ceremony at the site of the new school. (Albert Couillard/CBC SRC)

Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood MLA Lisa Lambert spoke at Monday's event on behalf of Education Minister Dustin Duncan. She said the new school will be an inclusive, safe environment. 

"The Government of Saskatchewan is dedicated to ensuring First Nation perspectives, languages and traditions are a part of the learning experience of Saskatchewan students," Lambert said.

Lambert said many elements of the school were designed with Indigenous partners so that Indigenous knowledge systems, culture and language can be woven into the building itself.

The province is spending $45.9 million on the project. The new school is set to be completed by fall 2025.

Shovels ready to open the new construction of the St Frances Cree Bilingual School in Saskatoon.
Shovels ready to open the new construction of the St Frances Cree Bilingual School in Saskatoon. (Albert Couillard/CBC SRC)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Louise BigEagle

Louise is a journalist with CBC Saskatchewan since September 2022. She is Nakota/Cree from Ocean Man First Nations. She holds a bachelor of fine arts from the University of Regina.

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