History

HISTORICAL

1981: Establishment of the Reverend S.-E. Perrey who later became the Conseil Rév.S-É.-Perrey Inc in 2003

 

1989: A petition to see the possibility of obtaining a French school is launched by the Société-Saint-Thomas d'Aquin. The idea is not popular.

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1989: The Federation of Parents of Prince Edward Island offers funds in Acadian regions to hire outreach officers to find out if there is an interest in opening French preschool classes. Mrs. Anita Perry is hired, and after a series of kitchen meetings, preschool classes begin at Club Ti-Pa in Tignish and St. Louis, one day a week at the S.-E. Perrey. These classes will continue until 1995. Groups of between 20 and 40 children attend.

 

1996: Creation of the Rev. Committee sub-committee. S.-É. Perrey, the Committee for French Education in West Prince; Its mandate is to seriously study the possibility of obtaining a school-community center in West Prince. Links with the F.P.Î.P.É. are strengthened and the French language school board is approached. A study in the form of a questionnaire was carried out by the firm Landall of Moncton.

 

1997: Results of the feasibility study conducted by the firm Landall of Moncton for the F.P.Î.P.É. The results of the 205 questionnaires received are striking. The region is ready for such a project. - The Committee for French Education in West Prince is hiring a coordinator to meet the parents of children with rights, especially at the preschool level.

 

1998: Arc-en-ciel preschool opens (with 27 registrations) in Mrs. Gloria Ellsworth's renovated garage. There is a contradiction when it comes to kindergarten. Much work is being done at the community, government and donor levels.

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1999: Une demande est présentée à la CSLF pour un établissement.

 

1999: A request is presented to the CSLF for an establishment.

 

2000: January - The Supreme Court of Canada delivers its decision that will change French education across the country, namely the right to French education.

April - The first grade in kindergarten graduates (6) and parents request a program in French education as a first language. September - The CSLF strongly supports the project and four mobile trailers are renovated during the summer. 6 first year students enter the French school of Prince-Ouest, in DeBlois, in a French first language program. A three-year pilot project.

 

2001: September -The preschool, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten classes offer programs for 30 children. - Daycare services are offered and are becoming popular. The Centre Arc-en-ciel has moved to the school-community center in West Prince.

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2001: Enrollment of 17 students at the school side; 28 in preschool. Space is very limited, especially in preschool.

 

2002: September - Enrollment of 32 students in the school; 30 in preschool. The spaces are too small after much lobbying the province announces the permanence of French education in West Prince. Much of the battle is won.

 

2003: September - Enrollment of 43 students in the school; 27 in preschool. Two trailers are added.

 

2004: September - Enrollment of 50 students in the school; 34 in preschool with waiting list. Two other trailers are added. The community is putting pressure on the province to obtain a new establishment. Even then, the space is very limited. A planning committee is set up by the province to study existing places. The community and local committee members reject the proposed sites and recommend new construction.

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2005: September - Enrollment of 58 students in the school; 34 in preschool. The working conditions in the 8 trailers are unhealthy; very limited air and space quality. There are 113 people crammed if we include the employees February 18 - Province announces that a new facility will be built as soon as possible, to open in 2006. We are checking for land. The community has already chosen to move to the other side of the road. Negotiations are taking place. The community must fundraise to pay for part of the land for the new center to be established in DeBlois.

 

2006: May: The first machine begins working in the field. June: Plans for the new building are presented at a public meeting. Almost 200 people are in attendance and the plans are accessible with a standing ovation. December: the main construction is finished, except for a few details. The trailers are emptied during the 2006 holidays.

 

2007: The two school and community work teams finish the move on January 3. The new French school-community center of Prince-Ouest opens its doors with space for 150 students from grades 1 to 12, a preschool and the offices of Conseil Rév. S.-É.-Perrey Inc. Without a doubt, a memorable day in the history of the Acadians of the Prince-Ouest region of Prince Edward Island.

 

2019: The Rev. S.-É.-Perrey Inc. in partnership with the town of Tignish is hosting a day of activity for the CMA - Congrès Mondial de Acadiens et Acadiennes. A great day of activity received great participation by locals and visitors.

 

2019- 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic to hit the world and close the Center for almost 1 year. No activity could take place, no gathering was allowed. 2020: The SSTA (Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin) a provincial organization bringing together Francophones and Acadians of the Island to change its name to the Société Acadienne et Francophone de l'Île. (SAF’ÎLE).

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2021: The school has reached 101 students.