Rainbow Board celebrates official opening of Princess Anne Public School

Rainbow District School Board Chair Tyler Campbell, left, and Director of Education Norm Blaseg join students Harmony Martel, Grade 6, and Roman Wereszczynsky, Grade 8, to cut a huge cake marking the official opening of the new Princess Anne Public School. The cake was donated by Prosperi Co. Ltd of the construction team.

Four and five-year-olds at Princess Anne Public School worked with a welder from the construction team to design a sculpture to reflect their year in the Early Learning Program. The sculpture, which features a circle, building blocks and a tree, is on display in front of the school just outside the Early Learning classroom. Watching a demonstration by welder Eric Fournier of Four Star Steel Erectors are, from left, Kiara Rogers, Ryan Bozic, Wyatt Oshell, Brendan Gravelle and Madeline Smith.

Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Norm Blaseg meets the "little welders" who helped design a sculpture at their new school including, from left,  Madeline Smith, Wyatt Oshell, Ryan Bozic, Kiara Rogers and Brendan Gravelle. The sculpture is on display at the new Princess Anne Public School.

Magellan Tindall, Grade 2, sings of Family and Friendship during the official opening of the new Princess Anne Public School.

Students from Princess Anne Public School celebrated the official opening of their new school on Tuesday, September 20th, including, from left, Magellan Tindall, Grade 2, Ethan Noche, Grade 3, Nicky Belanger, Grade 4, and Kyra Coutain, Grade 3.

A number of dignitaries joined students Harmony Martel, Grade 6, and Roman Wereszczynsky, Grade 8, to cut the ribbon marking the official opening of the new Princess Anne Public School, from left, Vice-Principal Jodie Pakkala; Ministry of Education Assistant Deputy Minister Raymond Théberge; School Council member Adria Wereszczynsky; Trustee Gord Santala, representing the Princess Anne Public School community; Trustee Doreen Dewar, representing the Wembley Public School community; Rainbow District School Board Chair Tyler Campbell; Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Norm Blaseg; and Principal Colleen McDonald.

Rainbow District School Board marked the official opening of the new Princess Anne Public School on Tuesday, September 20, 2011. Located in the West End of Sudbury, the school offers excellence in education to 425 students from the Early Learning Program to Grade 8.

“With the renewal of Princess Anne Public School, we mark another chapter in the revitalization of Rainbow Schools,” said Rainbow District School Board Chair Tyler Campbell. “I would like to thank the Princess Anne and Wembley Public School communities for coming together to support this project. The renewal of Princess Anne represents our collective vision to ensure students have access to the best programming possible in quality school facilities.”

“It has been very rewarding for me as a trustee to watch the transformation take shape – from blueprint to building,” said Trustee Gord Santala, who represents the Princess Anne Public School community. “This is a true community school. It is a gathering place well beyond the regular school day with daycare for infants, toddlers and pre-school age children, before and after school programs, extra curricular activities and lots of community use enhancing quality of life for children and families.”

“Students and staff have embraced their new learning environment and the legacy of Wembley, with its rich history and diversity, lives on in the new Princess Anne Public School,” said Trustee Doreen Dewar, who represents the Wembley Public School community. “In joining the two schools, we wanted to provide our students with quality programs in a quality facility. I truly believe we have achieved this and much more.”

“The transformation of Princess Anne Public School presented some wonderful teachable moments for students, particularly our youngest learners,” added Director of Education Norm Blaseg. “During the past year, four and five-year-olds watched the construction of their new school unfold and this inspired them to become little architects and builders.”

Four and five-year-olds worked with a welder from the construction team to design a sculpture to reflect their year in the Early Learning Program. The sculpture, which features a circle, building blocks and a tree, is on display in front of the school just outside the Early Learning classroom. “It will serve as a lasting tribute of an incredible teachable moment in the history of Princess Anne Public School,” said Director Blaseg. “It will also remind us that today we celebrate much more than the official opening of a new building. We celebrate children.”

The renewal of Princess Anne Public School began in May 2010. Significant improvements were made to the original school and the building was expanded using green technology wherever possible.

The school has been upgraded with a ventilation system bringing fresh air indoors, new energy efficient washrooms, a more efficient heating system, occupancy sensors and lots of windows for natural light. An elevator was also added, making the building fully accessible. Classrooms were renovated and a new library was built. There is also a new daycare for infants, toddlers and pre-school age children on site.

A 31,000 square foot two-storey addition houses a spacious gymnasium, the Early Learning Program for four and five-year-olds and six new classrooms, which are all equipped with interactive SMART Boards. The building has been designed to accommodate solar panels in the future to offset energy costs.

Fast facts:

Architect – Yallowega Belanger Architects

Sustainable Advisor – Tom Tamblyn – Dearness Conservation Society

Mechanical/Electrical Engineer  – LKM

Structural Engineer – Halsall

Contractors – Prosperi Co. Ltd. and Century Group Ltd.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,

Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,

Rainbow District School Board, 705.674.3171, ext. 7217.