A Leamington elementary school will now be able to accommodate more students and house more childcare spaces.
The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB) formally revealed a $7.6-million addition to St. Louis Catholic Elementary School on Friday. The addition features six new classrooms, plus the pending expansion of two childcare classrooms and a toddler room.
The unveiling was attended by Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones and Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald, along with Mary DiMenna, the WECDSB Trustee representing Leamington.
"Leamington is a rapidly expanding community, and in order to accommodate the increased growth, we require top-quality facilities for those families who choose Catholic education for their children," said DiMenna. "This new addition perfectly fits the description for ‘top quality’ and will be a wonderful location for our students to learn and grow for years to come."
The addition expands the school's capacity by 147 students. When the childcare expansion is completed, space will be increased by 60 children.
WECDSB Director of Education Emelda Byrne praised the work of the contractors, who worked to integrate the addition into the existing school, which first opened in 1964.
"St. Louis has a long tradition of serving the students and families of Leamington, and with this addition, we will build upon that culture of educational excellence," said Byrne. "Along with our French Immersion program, the school is well known in the community for providing high quality, faith-based education, delivered by caring, supportive staff who will continue that tradition in this beautiful new expansion."
The addition was made possible by $5-million in funding provided in 2020 by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Additional funds were granted in the fall of 2022 to bring the total to $7.6-million.
St. Louis Catholic Elementary is a dual-track JK-to-grade five school offering English and French immersion.