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No decision on school accommodation until April 27 By Liz Dadson |
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Kincardine will have to wait another three weeks to find out the decision of the Kincardine/Port Elgin Accommodation Review Committee. Prompted by over-crowding at Elgin Market Public School, the Bluewater District School Board called for the accommodation review of Elgin Market, Kincardine Township-Tiverton and Huron Heights public schools and Kincardine District Secondary School, as well as Saugeen District Secondary School which shares programming with KDSS. The final public meeting, and the committee's decision, was slated for Wednesday night (March 30), but chairman Richard Yun said the board had given the committee a 30-day extension so there will be no decision made until another public meeting on April 27.
Chairman Richard Yun talks enrollment numbers He said the committee has been grappling with the best way to accommodate 779 elementary students (the projected number for this area over the next 10 years) in three schools. Of those students, 200 are in the French Immersion program. Still on the table for discussion are the following options, said Yun:
Tara Flood of the KTTPS School Community Council said the group supports a two-school option with Huron Heights and KTTPS becoming JK to Grade 8 schools - both offering French Immersion. "We feel this would reflect the best interests of the students," she said. It offers continuity of programming for the students, she said, and leadership roles for many grades. Alice Paisley-Ellis of the Canadian Parents for French, said the group does not support moving the French Immersion program to KTTPS. "That would increase the number of students being bussed," she said. "Plus, it would not solve any of the problems already occurring in our schools, such as split grades." She said a survey of the French Immersion students' parents, showed that if the program is transferred to KTTPS, 19 per cent would remove their children from the program and 15 per cent would send their students to St. Anthony's School. "We would prefer our children remain in the public system with their friends," said Paisley-Ellis. "And French Immersion should remain in a town school so our children can continue to be with their friends and teachers." The Canadian Parents for French would support a dual track system, with JK to Grade 3 at KTTPS and Grades 4-8 at Huron Heights; or JK to Grade 8 at KTTPS and French Immersion at Huron Heights. Jen McKellar, representing the staff at Huron Heights, also suggested one of those options: a dual track, with JK to Grade 3 at KTTPS and Grades 4-8 at Huron Heights. This would improve programming and resources for both English students and French Immersion students, she said, and allow for same-grade teachers to work together and plan their programs. During the question period, one audience member said it seems as if Elgin Market has already been closed, given the presentations and options. "The decision is not made yet," said Yun. "We still have two-school and three-school options on the table." Kincardine councillor Ron Coristine said he, too, feels as if the decision were already made. "I don't understand why, if the students are the main concern, why the proposals are not framed with consideration given to the students and the families in this community," he said. "It seems as if full consideration has been given to the administration and the teachers." He said there are lots of houses around with young families. And he was disappointed that more research wasn't done on renting out the school buildings, and obtaining rural designation funding.
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 Jen McKellar  Tara Flood A question was asked about research done on how St. Anthony's School runs a dual track system, with a reduced school enrollment. Yun said that had not been considered. Realtor Gord Thompson suggested another option which would be JK to Grade 3 at KTTPS, dual track JK to Grade 3 at HHPS and JK to Grade 8 at EMPS which would provide each school with enough students to operate financially. "Within a few years, you might find that you have almost 500 students at each of those schools," he said. Parent Doris Clark urged the committee to think of any other option than changing school boundaries. Her children went through an awful time when the boundaries were changed the last time, she said. "Allowing students to stay within their peer group is the best option." Kincardine deputy mayor Anne Eadie said the province has been saying over and over that it wants communities were children and adults can walk and bike. She said there are houses going up in subdivisions at the south end of Kincardine, right around Elgin Market. This should be a strong consideration for the committee. "If the focus is on building healthy communities, start with the children. It's good for the kids to get exercise." Jim Thorpe challenged the municipality to come up with some money for renovations if the option is to turn Elgin Market, KTTPS and Huron Heights into JK to Grade 8 schools. Heather Padfield said the committee took that option off the table because it was too costly. Another challenge went out to the municipality and the school board to come up with services for young children, such as a splash pad and a new pool. Gail Walden said the school board and the municipality should also be looking at building a new high school in Kincardine. Kevin Larson, school board trustee for Saugeen Shores, said the committee could choose the best option for a three-school solution and a two-school solution, send that to the board and make the trustees. decide. Yun said the committee's recommendation will be presented at a public meeting April 27. It will then be presented, formally, to the school board in June. Whatever the board decides will be implemented in September, 2012. Scrolling stops when you move your mouse inside the scroll area. You can click on the ads for more
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