As the October Summit went to press, the only candidate in our zone for the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) was incumbent Jean-Paul Lafond. In his ninth year on the Board, Mr. Lafond is proud of its accomplishments and teamwork and promises to continue to work hard “for the best for our pupils.”
Enrolment at the French public board continues to grow at a fast pace of 5 to 6 per cent each year. Because so many pupils were housed in portables before, the Board is actually profiting from the new provincial school funding formula. It has been able to draw on provincial dollars to build two new schools in Kanata and Orleans and will add another in south Ottawa at Sawmill Creek next year.
Charlotte Lemieux school on Putman Drive, which serves the Carlington area, is being renovated and expanded in a “long overdue” project. The board had hoped to be able to buy the neighbouring J.H.Putman from the English public board, but it has not been declared surplus.
On the academic side, the CEPEO is putting the finishing touches on plans to offer full-time kindergarten in the Ottawa-Carleton area. “We want to make sure it's a program that really responds to the intellectual and physical needs of the children,” said M. Lafond, “and that enables us to identify and serve children who may need extra help.”
A spirit of optimism and teamwork pervades the CEPEO, said Mr. Lafond. “Our problems are more the positive kind.” He would be honoured to continue to serve the electors of Carlington for a fourth term with the board.