École secondaire Le Caron
| École secondaire Le Caron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
22 John Street , , Canada 44°45′40″N 79°56′23″W / 44.76098°N 79.93985°W | |
| Information | |
| School type | High school |
| Founded | August 30, 1979 |
School board | Conseil scolaire Viamonde |
School number | 934852 |
Principal | Tina Di Stefano |
| Grades | 7–12 |
| Enrolment | 150 (October 2013) |
| Language | French |
| Website | lecaron |
École secondaire Le Caron is the only French-language high school located in Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada. It serves the French population of Simcoe County, and it is managed by Conseil scolaire Viamonde.
Early history
Between 1965 and the establishment of École secondaire Le Caron, francophone students of Penetanguishene were unable to pursue their students fully in French. In 1976, a student, Denise Jaiko, of the now-closed Penetanguishene Secondary School (PSS) began a campaign to improve francophone learning conditions. In response, the Simcoe County School Board formed an internal and an external committee to evaluate the issue. The internal committee recommended the establishment of a francophone pavilion within PSS, and the external committee recommended the construction of a distinct francophone school. The school board did not act on these recommendations.[1]
In September 1979, a few months before the referendum on sovereignty in Quebec, French speakers in the Penetanguishene region opened the École secondaire de la Huronie, a parallel and illegal school. This "school of resistance" included 56 students from Grades 9 to 13. This school only existed for one year, but became the symbol of the struggle for Franco-Ontarian culture.[2]
The dispute culminated in a legal battle that ended in two stages. First, in 1980, when an agreement between the province and the school board led to a school. On April 23, 1980, the Ontario government allotted $500,000 for a French-language school in Penetanguishene,[3] and Le Caron was built between 1980 and 1981 and opened on April 23, 1982.[2] Second, in July 1986, the Ontario Superior Court ruled in favor of Jacques Marchand in his 1984 lawsuit against the province and the school board, culminating in the Sirois judgment. In this lawsuit, Marchand, a father to two children attending Le Caron, demanded educational services for francophone children equivalent to those offered in English. The ruling forced Ontario to invest $5.7 million to expand the Le Caron School.[4][5] After the expansion, Le Caron was inaugurated for a second time on April 24, 1990.[3]
Recent history
Over the years the school has moved from its original building on Main Street to 22 John Street, where it currently resides. The school participates in local French events and charities.[6]
In 2005, the 25th anniversary of Le Caron was celebrated.[3]
As of 2010, Le Caron comprised approximately 250 students.[3]
Extracurricular
In 2017 and 2018, Le Caron competed at OFSAA for Girls Badminton Doubles.[7][8] In 2018, the Senior Girls Volleyball team won the SCAA championships.[9]
Notable alumni
- Damien Robitaille, Franco-Ontarian musician[10]
See also
References
- ↑ University of Ottawa (1 March 2004). "Conflit scolaire de Penetanguishene (Ontario), 1943–1979". La présence française en Ontario : 1610, passeport pour 2010 (in French). University of Ottawa. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- 1 2 "L'école de la résistance à Penetanguishene (Ontario), 1979–1982". La présence française en Ontario : 1610, passeport pour 2010 (in French). University of Ottawa. 1 March 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Marchildon, Daniel (25 September 2010). "Trente ans après la crise scolaire : Les enfants de Penetang". Le Droit (in French). Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- ↑ Marchildon, Daniel (25 September 2010). "Trente ans après la crise scolaire : Les enfants de Penetang". Le droit (in French). Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- ↑ Bousquet, Robert (23 February 1990). "Jacques Marchand ne voulait pas qu'un francophone soit pénalisé". Le droit (in French). Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ Winton Sarvis, Gisele (2 March 2019). "Penetanguishene's March Mudness obstacle race continues to grow". The Midland Mirror. Simcoe.com. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ "Penetanguishene badminton players compete at OFSAA". The Midland Mirror. Simcoe.com. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ "Le Caron badminton duo going to OFSAA". The Midland Mirror. Simcoe.com. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ "École secondaire Le Caron senior girls volleyball team wins Simcoe County title". Midland Mirror. Simcoe.com. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ Wazana, Kathy. "Neil Lefaive, EAO l'enseignant remarquable de Damien Robitaille". Pour parler profession (in French). Ontario College of Teachers. Retrieved 2 August 2026.