New Aylmer High School inaugurated
Sophie Demers

 

The Centre de Services Scolaire des Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO) inaugurated the new high school, École secondaire de la Nouvelle-Ère, located at 400 Fraser near the Paul Pelletier Aquatic Centre.
École secondaire de la Nouvelle-Ère, previously referred to as école secondaire 040, officially welcomed students on November 22, 2021. The school can accommodate up to 810 students. This year, it welcomes 591 students and 58 staff members. There are 27 classrooms, four specialized spaces for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), six science labs, three art classes, one music room, a computer and robotics class, a labour market class, a library, double gymnasium, staff lounge and administrative areas.
Mathieu Lacombe, Minister of Families and Minister responsible for the Outaouais, André Fortin, Member of Parliament for the Pontiac, France Bélisle, Mayor of Gatineau, along with the Director General of CSSPO Nadine Peterson and other collaborators attended the official opening of the school on December 14th. Councillors for the Aylmer districts, Steven Boivin, Gilles Gagnon, and Caroline Murray were also in attendance. "I am delighted with the opening of the École secondaire de la Nouvelle-Ère, which was essential to respond to the strong demographic growth in the Aylmer sector,” said Peterson. “I thank all the partners through whom the students and staff benefit from this beautiful modern school, whose inspiring environment is conducive to learning and academic success."
"École secondaire de la Nouvelle-Ère will serve as a neighbourhood school for generations of students in the Aylmer area,” said André Fortin. “For thousands of students, this will be a place for meeting, exchanging, discovering, learning, and developing. I am proud to have helped to advance its construction, and to welcome its students today. This is a great step forward for our dynamic Aylmer area.”
In 2016, the Ministry of Education announced an investment of $32,359,696 for the construction of the school and, in 2019, allocated $10,895,844 more to cover the total cost of the project. The new high school was built in order to help relieve congestion at Aylmer’s Grande-Rivière High School, which has been over capacity for years.
“As Minister Responsible for the Outaouais Region, I am very proud to inaugurate this beautiful learning environment for youth in the Aylmer sector,” said Mathieu Lacombe. “Our government had education as its priority during the last election campaign and it is an honour for me to be among you as we inaugurate the first new high school in about 20 years in the region.”
Photo: Courtesy of the Centre de Services Scolaire des Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO)
Photo Caption: The inauguration event on December 14. From left to right: Perrin Manirakiza, Vice-Chair of the Student Council; Audrey Proulx, Chair of school board; François Boisvert, teacher and board member; Gilles Chagnon, City Councillor; André Fortin, Member of Quebec National Assembly for Pontiac; Steven Boivin, City Councillor; Danièle Bolduc, School Principal; Mathieu Lacombe, Quebec Minister of Families and Minister Responsible for the Outaouais Region; Nadine Peterson, Executive Director of the CSSPO; France Bélisle, Mayor of Gatineau; Caroline Murray, City Councillor; Alexia Chher, Chair of Student Council.