(File photo, May 2016.)
By some accounts it’s been 20 years since parents started asking the school board about building a community high school in Stittsville. Over the years, countless volunteers have helped organize meetings, letter writing campaigns, and petitions to raise awareness. In the past few years, Jennifer Smith (left) and Jenny Guth (right) have been leading the charge. We asked them about their reaction to today’s funding announcement.
“I’m very happy to hear that Stittsville, as a community, is finally getting a public high school. This is something we really need particularly in light of the residential growth in our area. But I must say after 20 years of lobbying for this school and with two of my three kids in high school already – it comes a little late for many of us. I look forward to hearing about the projected date when the new school will open.
All the community members who worked hard to bring a public high school to Stittsville should collectively celebrate this moment.”
Jennifer Smith
“I was thrilled to learn about this funding this morning. We knew there had been $784M announced but earlier this week, but we’ve been overlooked before many times, so our expectations were low… It’s been a long, hard battle fought by many residents of Stittsville for many years, and we are finally going to see a school in our own community.
There are so many people to thank that I would not be able to name them all, from the parents on our committee especially Jennifer Smith, to all the parents before us, to our city councilor Shad Qadri, to Mayor Watson and MPPs Lisa McLeod and Yasir Naqvi who spoke out in support of us when our own MPP would not, to the Board staff and Trustees including Lynn Scott, and of course the community itself.
I am saddened that many of our children will already be beyond high school by the time it is built, but I am excited that many will soon be able to attend a brand new school closer to their home and within this wonderful community. It’s a fabulous day for Stittsville!
Jenny Guth
WHAT DO YOU THINK Share your comments about today’s announcements below, or email us at feedback@stittsvillecentral.ca
UPDATE: CBC’s All in a Day interviewed Jenny Guth on Friday afternoon: