CONSEIL DES ÉCOLES CATHOLIQUES DU CENTRE-EST
Nearly 28,000 CECCE Students Begin the School Year Under the Theme of Compassion

The Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) is buzzing with excitement as it prepares to reach a significant milestone by welcoming nearly 28,000 students for the 2024-2025 school year! This figure reflects the CECCE's continuous growth and paves the way to a year filled with new discoveries, friendships, and countless opportunities. With compassion at the heart of its actions, the CECCE is delighted to launch new academic programs and undertake significant infrastructure projects that will further enrich the educational experience for everyone.

Early Starts
The school communities at écoles élémentaires catholiques Bernard-Grandmaître and Jonathan-Pitre, which follow a balanced calendar, returned to school on August 13. Students and staff at École secondaire catholique de l'Innovation also began their school year a week early, on August 20.

A Theme of Compassion for an Inspiring School Year

"Coeur à coeur, en toute compassion," is the school year's theme and the CECCE encourages the entire school community to demonstrate kindness and deep empathy. This theme will guide our actions throughout the school year, inviting everyone to reach out and open their hearts to others.

New Academic Programs and Infrastructure

To meet the needs and interests of a steadily increasing student population and to continue to innovate our program offering, the CECCE is introducing several new initiatives this year. Among them:

• The opening of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste campus, a new secondary pavilion of Collège catholique Franco-Ouest located in North-Central Ottawa.

• The official inauguration of the sports dome at École secondaire catholique Garneau, offering state-of-the-art sports facilities to students and the Orleans community, available year-round.

• The addition of new basketball and hockey streams to the high-performance sports-study program at École secondaire catholique Garneau, allowing students to specialize in their sport with an adapted schedule, thanks to partners like Évolution Basketball and the Titan Performance Centre.
• The launch of the Foul'Arts program at École élémentaire catholique Jean-Robert-Gauthier, aimed at Grade 5 and 6 students, fostering their creativity while strengthening their love for the French language and the arts.

• The launch of the FOCUS Healthcare - Pre-College program, enabling Grade 11 and 12 students to explore health professions while gaining practical experience and developing important skills for the workforce.

• The expansion of the École de danse Louise extracurricular program, now offered in several CECCE elementary schools, allowing students to balance studies, dance training as well as their social life.

• The renewal of the equestrian program at Académie catholique Notre-Dame in Kemptville. This program is a great success with students and gives them the opportunity to discover not only the different equestrian styles, but also the many trades related to this field.

• Expansion of École secondaire catholique Paul-Desmarais, Collège catholique Mer Bleue and École élémentaire catholique d'enseignement personnalisé La Source.

Citations 

Johanne Lacombe, Chair of the CECCE: "The development of these new infrastructures and programs reflects our commitment to providing quality education and promoting the vitality of the Francophone community. We are proud to see our students benefit from unique opportunities that enrich their school experience and contribute to their future success."

Marc Bertrand, Director of Education at CECCE: "We firmly believe that compassion is an essential pillar for building a more just and caring society. This theme for the new school year reflects our commitment to educating our students not only academically but also according to the Catholic values that are dear to the CECCE."