WINDSOR-ESSEX CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
St. Joseph's Catholic High School getting $3.7 million for an eight classroom expansion to accommodate 184 students

St. Joseph's Catholic High School will get an eight classroom expansion that will accommodate 184 students thanks to a $3.7 million investment from the Ontario Ministry of Education

"St. Joseph's is an integral part of East Riverside community, and the growth and vitality of the school are a reflection of its incredible learning environment," said Andrew Dowie, MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh, who was at the school Tuesday morning to announce the great news. "I was happy to add my voice in support of this key investment in my riding and am delighted to see this approval come through.

The funding couldn't have come at a better time as enrolment continues to grow at the school, said Fulvio Valentinis, Chair of the WECDSB

"This is wonderful news for the students and staff at St. Joseph's Catholic High School," Valentinis said. "The school was designed for about 1,100 students when it opened in 2006, and current enrollment is more than 1,300. So we're grateful for this funding, we certainly appreciate the support from MPP Dowie, and we're looking forward to getting started on this project soon.

This project is part of the Ontario Government's $1.3 billion plan that more than doubles funding to build new schools and expansions, including child care spaces, announced by Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, as part of the Capital Priorities Program

"Our government is more than doubling the funding to build new schools, which represents the single largest investment in school building in Ontario history," said Minister Lecce. "We are stepping up with a massive investment to build the homes, schools, and communities our province needs, and to ensure children have access to state-of-the-art schools close to home that gives them real life and job skills to succeed in the future. I want to reiterate my thanks to MPP Andrew Dowie for his relentless advocacy for local families.

The students at St. Joseph's will be "thankful, excited, and hopeful for the future" upon hearing the news of the expansion, according to Anthony Hoang a Grade 12 student at the school and one of two student trustees for the WECDSB

"This addition means so much to us," Hoang said. "The lives of so many students including my own have been positively impacted in this school and to hear that this thriving Laser community will have the space to continue growing is truly exceptional.

Ontario's government recently unveiled a new plan to build faster, including providing school boards with more flexibility and support to get shovels in the ground quicker and have more options to use existing buildings in their communities.

Director of Education Emelda Byrne said her administration's next steps will be to select a qualified architectural team, and then choose a prequalified contractor. She expects to have all of this completed by this time next year, with shovels in the ground by the summer of 2025. With an anticipated construction time of approximately a year, the board hopes to open the addition sometime in 2026.