|
The public and separate school board trustees were on hand Wednesday
(Dec. 9) to update Kincardine council on what's happening in the world
of education.
Sam Finnie, trustee with the Grey-Bruce Catholic District School Board
said there are no changes planned for St. Anthony's School in Kincardine.
The 2008-09 school year saw the facility used 237 times by 15 user
groups, for a total of 1,335 people and 711.5 hours. Only three hours
were charged to a for-profit group using the school.
He said the Early Years Program uses two classrooms for pre-school and
Kindergarten instruction at the school. The Family Y Day Care also has a
before-and-after-school program there which serves St. Anthony's and
Elgin Market Public School families. And a piano teacher held 82
sessions at St. Anthony's, including students from Huron Heights Public
School next door.
The Kincardine Scottish Festival used the school grounds for its heavy
events in July. And soccer, baseball and cricket teams held their games
there during the summer.
The school has 269 students and 29 staff - a number of the teachers
actually graduated from St. Anthony's, said Finnie.
"How many Kincardine area students attend Sacred Heart High School in
Walkerton?" asked deputy mayor Laura Haight.
"We have four buses that transport students to Walkerton but those serve
Walkerton District Secondary School as well," said Finnie. "I believe
there are about 80-85 students attending Sacred Heart from here."
As for the Bluewater District School Board, trustee Jan Johnstone said
the board has virtually eliminated its debt, down to $24,000 from $1
million last year. "We can now put aside some reserve funds for capital
projects," she said, "and that's good news."
All the schools are facing declining enrolment and that affects grants
under the provincial funding formula, said Johnstone. The Ontario
Ministry of Education is going to be offering all-day Kindergarten but
she is unsure how that will roll out in Bluewater District because there
are specific requirements for this program. "One criteria is to have a
large space available in the school, and another is that the program
can't be within two kilometres of a child care provider," said
Johnstone."That's going to be a problem in rural areas. We'll know by
spring what schools will get all-day Kindergarten."
 |
She said the board had a lot of turbulence this year so it hired a
consultant to conduct a satisfaction survey which produced high ratings
for the schools and teaching staff, but not such high ratings for senior
administration and trustees. "We're completing a governance review and
moving the board meetings to evenings instead of during the day," she
said. "That's a good thing for those who are interested in becoming a
trustee."
Johnstone said the Municipality of Kincardine is in the process of
building a new gymnasium attached to the Davidson Centre. "That would
look nice with a new high school attached to it," she said.
"Santa Claus is coming, put it on the list," joked councillor Randy
Roppel.
On a more serious note, Haight asked what the board's plans are for
replacement of Kincardine District Secondary School.
"The education ministry will make that decision," said Johnstone, "and
KDSS is not a priority - that's the bottom line. The board has already
spent money on upgrading that school."
She said Walkerton is getting a new school, so Kincardine would be
looking at 10-15 years down the road."
"But there's growth in the Kincardine urban area," said Haight. "We
should be sitting down and discussing the options now for a community
facility and a high school."
Johnstone noted that while enrolment is down in other sectors, enrolment
is up in the Senior/Junior Kindergarten classes, mainly due to Bruce
Power and local building opportunities attracting young families to the
area.
Finnie said a shared facility between the municipality and the separate
school board is not going to happen because most of the expansion is
taking place in Owen Sound. Walkerton also has an expanded technical
studies centre, he said.
Councillor Gordon Campbell congratulated both school boards on the
co-ordination and co-operation of shared bussing of students.
"That was mandated by the province," said Finnie.
"It's a good relationship," said Johnstone, "and it's used as a model
for the whole province."
 |
for
world news,
books, sports, movies ...
