Students residing near the Village of Waskatenau will soon have a new school.

On Thursday, shovels were lodged into the ground for a sodturning ceremony, recognizing the start of construction on the new K-12 Holy Family Catholic School.

It was approved in the 2023-24 provincial budget, and carries a $16.4 million budget. Holy Family Catholic’s replacement is now close to a reality.

“It’s a gift. The purpose was for the children of this community,” said principal Farrah Ollikka in a Lakeland Catholic School Division. 

The new facility will feature a wide array of modern learning spaces, including a fully equipped food lab, comprehensive CTS (Career and Technology Studies) areas for woodworking, welding, and skilled trades, as well as a versatile learning commons that will include a community-accessible library—a shared space designed to foster lifelong learning and engagement beyond the classroom. 

Students will benefit from a full-sized gymnasium, a dedicated music room, and flexible classroom environments tailored to support developmentally responsive, inclusive, and academically enriched programming.

“We are grateful for every hand and heart that made this day possible—for our children, and for the future of Catholic education in this community,” said superintendent Germain.