WQSB drops Sport-Études:

No sports-study programs for English high schools

The Sport-Études program at Hadley Junior High School - Philemon Wright High School (PWHS) has had a short run. Indeed, it’s still at the starting line.

“The program was cancelled due to insufficient registrants, in a short timeline, enough to fill the minimum standards as set by the Ministry,” said Chris Schaler, Western Quebec School Board (WQSB) Ward 8 Commissioner, where PWHS is located. According to the Ministry of Education (MEESR) rules on the recognition of sports programs, a high school must have a minimum of 25 student-athletes recognized by specific sports federations. The list of potential sport-études partners is roughly two dozen.

“It is still worthy of further pursuit, as it will provide students with an additional outlet to realize their athletic goals . . .” added Schaler.

According to an internal WQSB presentation “the goal (of the program) is to make it easier for elite athletes to balance the rigorous demands of training and academics while allowing for normal personal and family lives.”

 

Presently, there is no Anglophone school in the region offering this type of program, which is growing in popularity. Sports already play an important role at Philemon Wright High School. The school, at 80 Daniel Johnson Boulevard in Hull, is home to several successful teams and is equipped with a large sports field.

The Polyvalente Nicolas-Gatineau, beside the Branchaud-Brière sports complex, l’École secondaire Mont-Bleu and l’École secondaire de l'Île are the three schools in the Outaouais which offer sports-études in various disciplines.

There is no sanctioned sports program at the primary level.