(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

Carrot River Valley School

Carrot River celebrates grand opening of new school

Sep 16, 2024 | 5:10 PM

The new Carrot River Valley School was celebrated Monday morning, as students, teachers, community members, and provincial dignitaries were in attendance for a grand opening ceremony.

While students from Grades 5 through 12 have been in the school since late January, K to 4 students were just welcomed in earlier this month to begin the new school year.

Accessible playground (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

“The building here that we see today, as beautiful as it is, is all about the students and the staff who are embarking on those learning opportunities. The kids who are here today and the ones that will attend for years into the future. I hope this school provides the greatest learning opportunity possible for years to come,” said Premier Scott Moe.

“It’s awesome to see everyone in here for the new school year. When you see all the kids in the new bleachers, able to attend this ceremony in the second gym, it’s things that weren’t possible in the old school. To bring all these students, from Kindergarten to Grade 12, together, it’s an investment into the most important resource we have in this province, which is our children.”

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The $26.9 million project began two years ago, combining the former Carrot River Elementary and Carrot River High School.

An unveiling of a plaque commemorated the grand opening, rather than the tradtional ribbon cutting (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

Carrot River Valley School is roughly 4,400 square metres and can accommodate up to 350 students.

“This is all about providing an updated space that our students can learn in. We know that our population is growing every year, and that means more families and more students in our province, so we have to make sure that there are the school buildings to accommodate that growth,” added Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill.

“This is a project that the North East School Division has had on their radar for several years, and here in Carrot River, it was time for a new building. We wanted to provide updated classroom and programming-type space to fit what learning looks like today. It’s important that we are always continuing to upgrade our educational facilities around the province.”

Library (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

The old school opened back in 1958, serving Carrot River and surrounding area for over 60 years. The hope is the new school will do the same, if not more.

Carrot River Valley and its people, including the North East School Division (NESD) contributed their part to ensure that future, as $2.5 million of the $26.9 million in funding was provided locally.

Main Gymnasium (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

“Today marked the grand opening of Carrot River Valley School, a place where the North East School Division’s values, connection, empowerment, innovation and inclusion are embedded from the design phase through to the classroom environment,” NESD Board Chair, Lori Kidney explained.

“This new school embodies the collaboration and dedication that have made our core value a reality. The province’s investment in this vibrant community in rural Saskatchewan will enrich the future of our students for decades to come.”

Performance Arts Area (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

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