Note: MLA Kevin Murphy sent out the letter below in early March asking for comments about replacing three Eastern Shore schools: Eastern Shore District High, Gaetz Brook Junior High, and École des Beaux-Marais.
Since becoming the Eastern Shore MLA in 2013, and during the campaign leading up to 2013 provincial election, I have had the privilege of speaking with thousands of Eastern Shore residents.
Most conversations about our area focused on what is needed to meet our greater Eastern Shore communities current needs, specifically what is needed to make our region viable and sustainable for generations to come. Early on, one clear message emerged from these conversations: the need for the new and improved infrastructure in several areas, but most notably in the area of education infrastructure; specifically the need for replacement facilities for Eastern Shore District High School, Gaetz Brook Junior High School and École des Beaux-Marais.
To that end, the greater Eastern Shore community has rallied around this need, and in the spring of 2015 formed a Nova Scotia registered non profit community group called the Community Campus Vision Association (CCVA) to advocate for new infrastructure to serve the broader Eastern Shore area. The CCVA chose to focus their advocacy efforts on the need to renew the education related infrastructure on the Eastern Shore. Specifically, the CCVA has focused on the need to replace the aging Eastern Shore District High School which was built in 1965.
As Eastern Shore MLA, I have been advocating the Halifax Regional School Board, the Premier and the Minister of Education while working closely with the CCVA for the past 2 years in support of their efforts to renew our educational infrastructure for a our current, and future Eastern Shore families. The CCVA has done a wonderful job to make a solid case to both the Halifax Regional School Board and the Nova Scotia Department of Education for the replacement of ESDH.
Over the past few weeks, the opportunity has emerged to examine the possibility of including Gaetz Brook Junior High School and École des Beaux-Marais (along with ESDH) in the infrastructure replacement conversation. As MLA, I have heard from plenty of parents and students from all three schools who are in favour of this. I am supportive of investigating the possibilities of replacing all three schools at once with a goal of getting the biggest bang for our educational infrastructure buck. I am also very excited to explore the opportunity to get a unique "made on the Eastern Shore" educational infrastructure solution to better serve the needs of our students who are an important part of our growing and diverse community.
Now, I need your help. I need you to write me, as your MLA, letters or emails that I can deliver on your behalf to the Halifax Regional School Board, the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial, the Premier and to the Minister of Education. If you are a current or future parent, or current or future student of Eastern Shore District High School, Gaetz Brook Junior High School or École des Beaux-Marias, please share with me your thoughts and comments on the need for new education infrastructure on the Eastern Shore. Letters from past students or parents are welcome as well.
It is important that all your emails or letters contain your full name and home civic address. You can email me at [email protected] or via regular mail at Unit 9, Porters Lake Shopping Centre, 5228 Highway #7, Porters Lake, NS, B3E 1J8.
I will be delivering your emails and letters weekly to the HRSB, CSAP, the Premier and the Minister of Education on your behalf. I look forward to hearing from you.
Unit 9, Porters Lake Shopping Centre Tel: (902) 281-3005
Porters Lake, Nova Scotia
