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Four Accommodation Review options involve closing schools By Liz Dadson |
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 Mary Helen Musselman, president of the Kincardine District Secondary School Home and School Association, rates this option and makes some comments at the March 3 meeting  Al Gibb, plant manager at the Bluewater District School Board, explains the enrollment numbers as outlined for this particular option | ||||
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The Kincardine/Port Elgin Accommodation Review Committee offered seven options for the public to consider at the meeting Thursday night (March 3). Of those, four involve closing schools in Kincardine. The Bluewater District School Board approved the review in October, triggered by over-crowding at Elgin Market Public School, a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 school, where there is an extensive French Immersion program. The review committee is, therefore, examining all the Kincardine schools - Kincardine Township-Tiverton Public School (KTTPS), Huron Heights Public School and Kincardine District Secondary School, as well as Saugeen District Secondary School in Port Elgin which shares programming with KDSS.
Dave Patterson of Re-Max Land Exchange, said Kincardine realtors oppose closing any school in Kincardine because this is a growing community. In fact, the board should consider building schools, not closing them, he said. Of particular note, most of the new family dwellings that have sold in the past five years, were south of St. Albert St., in the Willow West subdivision, Lynden Estates, Stonehaven and Lakefield Estates. That's in the area where Elgin Market school is located. "It's safe to say that 80 per cent of these buyers have infants and school-aged children," said Patterson. "Plus, the vast majority of approved single family dwellings to be built are in this area." He said Kincardine has done its part for school closures. In 2002, an Accommodation Review Committee recommendation resulted in the closure of W.E. Thompson Public School in Kincardine, and Bruce Township Central Public School in Underwood. Gail Walden, chairperson of the KDSS School Community Council, and Mary Helen Musselman, president of the KDSS Home and School Association, presented a report to the committee. Musselman said even though an accommodation review is not focused on KDSS for another five years, she wants the board to know there is a need for a new high school in Kincardine. "KDSS was originally built in 1952 and many aspects are in sub-standard condition, such as doors, windows, floors, ceilings and the roof," she said. "Eight-five per cent of the lockers need replacing. The building has definitely declined over the years. According to the school board, the structure is $7.2-million behind in repairs. It's time for a new building." Walden echoed those sentiments, saying it's time that the Municipality of Kincardine and the school board worked together on a long-term plan for a new high school. "It could be built next to other community destinations, such as an ice pad, community centre, and so on," she said. "It is desperately needed. The idea is there, now we just need to formulate a plan for it." Chrystal Murphy, on behalf of a group of concerned citizens, presented a report, "Beyond 2012 - Planning for Kincardine's Children." It stipulates that all schools in the Accommodation Review Committee area remain open; all schools continue providing the same program, specifically keeping French Immersion at Elgin Market; and build the full-time Kindergarten classrooms required at Elgin Market, given that the municipality has supported the school expansion through the donation of adjacent municipal land. Murphy pointed out that according to the board's On The Ground Capacity information, 46 out of 52 schools are running under-capacity. "Despite that, the board is able to present a balanced budget for 2010-2011 and a $950,000 surplus for 2009-2010." She said that a community survey showed that close to 20 per cent of parents with children enrolled in French Immersion would consider sending their children to St. Anthony's Separate School, rather than bus them out of town. "This year, the number of Junior Kindergarten students enrolled in French Immersion outnumbered the children enrolled in the regular track."
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 Chrystal Murphy  Cheryl Diffin suggests a different option to those presented by the Accommodation Review Committee Murphy said there was also concern about moving children from one school community to another, and concern about increased bus times and bus safety for young children, plus the number of snow days and well water quality and supply at KTTPS. She said projected population growth for Bruce County, indicates Kincardine will have an increase of 3,252 people from 2006 to 2021. The report also suggested the school board use empty spaces in schools better, by allowing other community organizations to use that space. Al Gibb, plant manager for the board, said Kincardine has three elementary schools, with 10 grades in French and English tracks. The three-school solution, he said, would maximize revenue and minimize costs. Doing this would cut the operational deficit to about $52,000. Gibb also showed the effect of full-day Kindergarten once it comes to Elgin Market - it is already implemented at KTTPS. The board would be eligible for capital funding for two classrooms, to the tune of about $900,000. However, he said, there is an eight-kilometre rule which states the eligibility is only if there is no school within eight kilometres providing the same program. Accommodation Review Committee chairman Richard Yun said the proposed options run the gambit from well-thought-out to spur-of-the-moment, from low-cost to expensive, and from minimal student moves to rethinking the whole thing. Members of the audience were able to rate the seven options from "minus three" meaning they hated that option, to "plus three" meaning they loved that option, and give comments. Yun told the public that a 30-day extension is pending before the school board. It should pass, he said, granting the review committee until June 7 to come up with a recommendation. Another public meeting is scheduled for March 30 at 7 p.m., at which the committee's recommendation will be presented. The school board must make a decision by November for the September, 2012, school year. Yun added that if people are questioning the validity of the enrollment projection numbers, they should attend a meeting March 10 at 5 p.m. at the KTTPS library to hear from the company that compiles those figures. Scrolling stops when you move your mouse inside the scroll area. You can click on the ads for more
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