École J. H. Picard School 3.46

École J.H. Picard School is elementary/junior/senior high school located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is well known for being the only Catholic school in Western Canada that provides complete French Immersion education from kindergarten to grade 12. It was established in 1973, to replace l'Académie Assomption, a private girls school. In 1984, J.H. Picard moved to its current location on 99th street, not far from Campus Saint Jean and Edmonton's francophone community and has since provided an immersive French program for thousands of students.J.H. Picard prides itself in providing a tight-knit school community despite the diverse ages of the students. School assemblies, for instance, include all students, often ranging from 5 to 18 years old. The Parent Council is very involved in the life of the school, recently building a new playground in 2000. The school's monthly newsletter, "Le Picardien," is a wealth of information made possible by contributions by teachers at all levels. The school is also home to daycare programs, providing after-school care to numerous students, as well as regular daily child care. J.H. Picard's acclaimed academic record is matched by the school's athletic achievements, including several regional championships by the J.H. Picard Pumas.The school is named after Joseph Henri Picard, a francophone politician from Edmonton.In April 2011, the ECSD Board of trustees decided to place J.H. Picard as the number one priority for relocation on their Capital plan. If funding is given, the current (kindergarten to grade 12) location would close down and "relocate" as a junior/senior school in the Silverberry district of south east Edmonton. The new location would be a part of a sports/theatre complex, with a public high school. Previously on the Capital Plan, J.H. Picard was up for a major modernization (with theatre). The communities of Ritchie and Hazeldean have been working together with concerned parents to stop the closure of its current location. Ritchie Junior High and St. Margrets Elementary have closed.