LBPSB & Vaudreuil-Soulanges Education in the Media
by Marilyn Santucci
CBC recently launched a new office in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges area, and the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) was featured in one of its first reports. CBC reporter Chloe Ranaldi will be covering the region. She produced a story highlighting how the area is experiencing rapid growth, with demands for health and education services rising just as quickly.
The report was shared during a live, open-to-the-public CBC broadcast event in Hudson, hosted by Heather Hiscox, giving community members the opportunity to learn firsthand about growth in the region and its impact on schools and services, and other areas.
Families in the region are facing challenges such as long school bus wait times, which in some cases can last up to an hour one way, as well as limited access to nearby schools. Waitlists for certain schools are also becoming an issue due to the shortage of available spaces in the territory.
Judith Kelley, Chair of the Council of Commissioners at the LBPSB, spoke with CBC about the rising demand for educational services and the board’s plans to meet these needs.
“We are experiencing a population boom, and space is becoming limited. We will be adding portable classrooms to some of the schools in this region,” says Kelley.
Looking ahead, the board is hoping to secure provincial funding for a new English-language school in the municipality of St. Polycarpe, which would reduce travel times for students.
“There is currently no English school in that area, so we are working with the city to build a school not only for St. Polycarpe, but also for the small neighbouring towns,” Kelley explains.
To watch the full report, visit: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6939450
Listen to Chloë Ranaldi’s report on CBC Radio’s Let’s Go with Sabrina Marandola here: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-383-lets-go/clip/16177956-families-push-english-schools-vaudreuil-soulanges
