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Welcome to Bellevue's École St-Isidore

École St-Isidore is the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises (CÉF) school in Bellevue, Saskatchewan. It serves Francophone families from Bellevue, Domremy, St-Louis, Wakaw, Hoey, Tway, Batoche, Rosthern, Fish Creek and St-Laurent that seek quality Francophone education for their children at elementary and high school levels. The French first language education offered at École St-Isidore is delivered by teachers who are inspired by best practices in use across Canada. And it all starts with our free prekindergarden program.

By registering your children at École St-Isidore, you are ensuring they will have access to the very best education available anywhere. Every new day at school will help them acquire new academic skills. They will develop their Francophone identity through enhanced, tailored programming. You will discover a world of learning opportunities for your children and possibly yourself. École Père Mercure's qualified teachers and educators all contribute to students' success and the school's in delivering exceptional educational services, with the support the local francophone community.

Francophone education at École Père Mercure

By 1954, the Francophone education experience had come a long way: there were four schools in the Bellevue area: Gaudet, Bellevue, St-Isidore and St-Gérard Schools. There was a movement afoot to centralize educational institutions into larger units. This is how these four schools became one: École St-Isidore. The new school is built in the village, on lot just north of the church. On August 27, it welcomes 120 students for the new school year. Soon that school woud be filled to capacity. One of the old schools is moved to the site and used as a classroom until 1970.

By 1989, the school community initiates procedures to become an official Fransaskois school, thereby confering to a local board the powers of self governance in 1995. A new school is built to welcome students in September 1997. In 1999, Saskatchewan's 9 Francophone school boards are amalgamated into Division scolaire francophone n°310, governed by the Conseil Scolaire Fransaskois. In 2008, the Division scolaire francophone n°310 becomes the Conseil des Écoles fransaskoise.

Studies have shown that Francophone schools are the best place for francophone students to get an education -- and they will have the advantage being fully bilingual at the end. Enrollment in French first language education will lead to students self-identifying more readily as bilingual Francophones than if they attend immersion school. Francophone students spend the school day in an environment where day-to-day life occurs predominently in French. This includes school interaction with parents, between teachers and ultimately with the community at large. Students experience French as a language not only for going to school, but for their future workplace and life in general. Their proficiency in French will remain longer. It will be part of who they are.

Incidentally, because of the nature of the environment in which we live, proficiency in English is easily acquired by our students. They learn French first, but they acquire English just as fast. Our Francophone students end up developing as good a command of the English language as native English-speakers.

Francophone education prepares students well for today's life journey

Upon graduation, our students' proficiency in both French and English tends to broaden the scope of choices available to them through advanced education at technical institute and college levels. Their Francophone school years are sure to influence the careers paths they will follow. The family decisions our graduates eventually make as adults are more likely to reflect the Francophone experiences at the heart of the Fransaskois school foundations. Perhaps they will be compelled to give the gift of Francophone education to their own children. This cycle of life is intricately woven through education, culture and community.

École St-Isidore is an essential ingredient in helping ensure the Fransaskois contribution to the shaping of Saskatchewan society remains vibrant in the years to come.