Rare Gem in a Mountain Setting – École Sutton School

My daughter, Kathlyn, graduated from kindergarten at Sutton School this past June (2006). She was attending the Eastern Townships School Board’s (ETSB) “English” side, but may transfer to Val des Cerfs’ “French” side for première année. We would never change schools – that would be too disruptive – but at Sutton School, you don’t have to!

This is but one small example of how exceptional our school is, having two school boards under the same roof and under the guiding hand of one principal, currently the dedicated Paule-Andrée Bouvier.

Having raised Kathlyn’s three older siblings in Montreal and experienced the educational system there, I found myself compelled to share my feelings about Sutton School. I was sure many parents felt the same way in their hearts but did not express their pride out loud. In order to find out if I was correct, I conducted a mini-survey of a dozen or so parents from the local community. Some had themselves attended Sutton School as a child. With one exception, parents felt it was a positive thing to have two boards within the school and they unanimously indicated they were very proud of the school.

Who can blame them? The school is nestled on a quiet side street in the heart of Sutton, surrounded by a beautiful forest. Then there are the people who make such a difference in our children’s lives – the principal, who faces so many unique challenges with each new day; the warm and welcoming support staff, Diane and Heather; and the many excellent teachers. What a terrific in-school daycare system is run by Agnès Boisvert and her wonderful team. We also have a library right on the premises. And Sutton School can boast an excellent hot lunch and cafeteria program, run by chef Karen Anderson, which offers healthy alternatives.

As in most schools, a small group of parent volunteers provides crucial support, and it is necessary to see more parents contributing their time in order to maintain the fine calibre of Sutton School.

The survey identified the top three positive aspects of Sutton School as: its bilingualism – integration of French and English; the cafeteria service; and devoted staff who maintains an open-door policy.

Yet, problems do exist. The survey revealed these top three areas of concern: the layout of the senior playground; playground supervision; and a lack of volunteers.

Another interesting concern was mentioned, and perhaps it is worth a little more thought. Parents are very hasty to choose “immersion” for their children, thinking this is the best way for a child to become bilingual. Anglophone parents are not adequately convinced that a child completing the English curriculum will be as bilingual as his/her French counterpart. I see this as a major issue, for perhaps without early mother tongue education these children will never master either language to full capacity.

Thank you to all who took the time to answer the mini-survey. And thank you École Sutton School and all those who give so much. As one parent responded, “It’s a great school – keep it up!” Let’s all pitch in and protect our rare gem.

Lisa Lipowski