Education

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The Kincardine community had its first look last night (Jan. 23) at how the three elementary public schools will be set up, starting September, 2012.

Based on the recommendation from the Accommodation Review Committee, Elgin Market Public School is to become a French Immersion school for Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, while Kincardine Township-Tiverton Public School (KTTPS) takes on Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 English program, and Huron Heights Public School continues offering the Grade 4-8 English program.

Last night's meeting was facilitated by Lori Wilder, area superintendent of education. She welcomed Bluewater District School Board local trustee Jan Johnstone and the principals of the three schools, as well as staff, parents, students and community members to the meeting.

Wilder said a business plan was drawn up by plant services manager Al Gibbs, and presented to the Bluewater District School Board business committee in December. The next step is to put together a transition team and provide public consultation on the implementation of the plan.

That business plan calls for a phased-in approach over the next several years.

In the 2012-13 school year, Elgin Market will have the Junior Kindergarten (JK) to Grade 5 French Immersion students, while KTTPS has JK to Grade 3 English students, and Huron Heights Public School takes all the Grades 4-8 English students.

Energy improvements will be done at Elgin Market and the portable classrooms will be removed. Meanwhile, the two porta-packs at Huron Heights, on the east side of the school and currently not in use, will also be removed, said Gibbs.

In the 2013-14 school year, Elgin Market will have JK to Grade 6 French Immersion, with KTTPS and Huron Heights splitting the English stream students.

The following school year, Elgin Market will have JK to Grade 7, with Full Day Kindergarten at both Elgin Market and KTTPS. Two new Kindergarten classrooms will be added at KTTPS.

By the 2018-19 school year, the full transition will be completed, with Elgin Market a JK to Grade 8 French Immersion school, KTTPS a JK to Grade 3 English school, and Huron Heights a Grade 4-8 English school.

Gibbs said the business plan is based on minimizing student transitions, gradually moving to the final outcome, and reducing the deficit operating position.

He noted that the deficit last year for the three schools was $178,773. This year, the deficit is projected at $120,000. With the changes being made, that deficit is expected to decrease to $62,000 for 2014-15, and $60,000 in 2018-19.

Gibbs said the projected enrollment is 779 students within 10 years at all three schools. Therefore, the business plan divides that into 179 at Elgin Market, and 300 each at KTTPS and Huron Heights.

Because a primary class size is smaller than junior and intermediate grades - at 20 students per class - KTTPS requires more classrooms to accommodate the younger students, said Gibbs. Meanwhile, Huron Heights does not require the same capacity for the older students.

KTTPS will require four classrooms to accommodate Full Day Kindergarten for all the English students in the Kincardine community of schools, said Gibbs. That will be phased in by 2014, with the addition of two classrooms.

He noted that any school that has surplus space, not being used for classroom or related activities, is not being paid for that space. "We have about 60 student spaces too many at Huron Heights. That's a dead cost. Those two porta-packs are costing us money, to the tune of about $17,000 each per year."

Huron Heights teacher Jen McKellar asked if there were an opportunity to use that space, by teachers and/or students.

"To get the savings we need, we have to lock it up and let it go cold," said Gibbs.

A question was raised about the technical education centre at KTTPS which was suspended this past year by the school board, along with tech centres in other schools in the district.

"This issue has not yet come to the board," said Johnstone. "Last year, during budget negotiations, we agreed to suspend all tech centres for one year. They are not funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education, but by the school board."

She said the board was looking for funding from other sources, but that has not materialized.

"This year, we're looking at a potential deficit again unless we change the way we do business," she said.

As for KTTPS, she said if the tech centre space is required for Kindergarten classrooms, that would be a good trade-off.

"The province, itself, is in a huge deficit situation," said Johnstone. "We are publicly-funded, and there's no additional funding. The ministry is holding all boards to a one-per-cent increase for at least three years. Kincardine got to keep its three schools. If we can help reduce the board deficit in some way, we should do what we can."

In response to the funding for Full Day Kindergarten, she said that's a ministry initiative so there is money for Kindergarten classrooms.

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Monday, January 23, 2012