The last ranked school is alive and well

Soulanges primary school, in Saint-Télesphore, in Montérégie, is the last ranked school in Quebec. And this year, it has a record number of students, 29, from kindergarten to 6^e year. A foray into a century-old establishment that defies time.

(Saint-Télesphore) “Next word: a star. The first years, it starts with a e acute accent, let’s work this week! », says teacher Marie-Helen Townshend to the fifteen students focused on their bingo cards.

The-holly-with-his-h-mute, Mother Christmas and the reindeer are illustrated on the kindergarten grids, but those of first and second grade students only display words.

“It’s the same activity, with different levels,” summarizes M.^me Townshend. But if there is one who has a lot of difficulty, I will show him the card with the drawing: if a student had difficulty learning the alphabet the first time, he will see it again in the second or third year because we teach it to others. It’s a reinforcement. »

The side door opens, letting the older kids in for drama period. All the children then find themselves in the same multi-level classroom, as in 1919, when the building was built and inaugurated.

In the middle of the back wall, between the whiteboard and the giant screen, a cupboard hides the location of the old fireplace. But don’t look for the wood stove: with its small half-moon tables and its multicolored environment, the decor resembles that of any Quebec primary school class.

This small school located a few minutes from the Ontario border almost did not make it to the XXI^e century.

In the early 1990s, the Lakeshore school board, of which she was then a part, wanted to close it to reduce its expenses. The community rolled up its sleeves and expanded the building at its own expense, through donations of money, time, goods and services. As a result, 29 students eligible for instruction in English are attending this year. As I recall, this is a record. “The most we’ve ever had is 26,” underlines M^me Townshend, who has taught here for 18 years. Saint-Télesphore has fewer than 800 inhabitants, and students come from Les Coteaux, Saint-Zotique, Saint-Polycarpe, Sainte-Justine-de-Newton and Rivière-Beaudette, in the territory of the Lester-B.-Pearson school board.

Five generations

“I was told it was a nice old school. I love the play structure! », exclaims Jack McGregor-Smith between two slips. Enrolled in his first year, he represents the fifth generation of his family to study here. His little brother will soon join him in kindergarten. He won’t be the only one. Of the 29 students, there is a family of four children, three siblings of three, and several families of two.

Everlie, 11, attended a traditional school before arriving here last year. “It was weird, because there weren’t many people,” says this student who found herself being the only girl in fifth grade. “At first, it was difficult, but I’m happy,” says the one who likes “that the teachers don’t change every year” and finds it “easier” to learn in this environment where several levels coexist.

Bilingual and multi-level

As Soulanges is a bilingual school, teaching time is divided approximately equally between English and French. Kate Clare, who the children call Miss Clare, teaches English, maths and ethics, while M^me Townshend teaches other subjects in French.

Students are divided into two age groups. Teachers therefore find themselves in front of small classes, but must teach several levels simultaneously.

“We’re doing differentiated instruction on steroids,” jokes Miss Clare. Educational differentiation, an approach advocated by Quebec, requires adjusting to the abilities, needs and interests of students. When Miss Clare introduces sixth grade maths, the younger kids hear it too.

“For children who learn faster, it’s good because they don’t get bored. They are stimulated, the older ones help the younger ones,” notes the English-speaking teacher.

“It’s a lot more planning: every day, we have seven levels to prepare, since we see both classes,” notes M however.^me Townshend.

“If you teach third grade your whole life, you can work with the same novel. I can’t use last year’s story, they’ve already heard it,” adds his colleague.

It’s playtime, the children rush into the playground. The small row school does not have a gymnasium, so they also take their physical education classes outside. When the neighboring lands are covered in snow, young people will be spoiled for choice. The field opposite, on Chemin Saint-Georges, is used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. And on the other side, along route 325, the hill is perfect for sliding…