Monday, March 03, 2008

Reviewing the "unavoidable consequences of consolidation"


Thursday night’s public meeting of school District 52 at Charles Hays was a lively affair, with the senior staff of the school district on the hot seat and having to explain a number of recent proposals for school closures in the city.

Earlier this year it was announced that Seal Cove and Kanata schools were the most likely candidates for closure, that potential list was expanded in the recent weeks to include Westview and potentially Port Edward school as well.

With over 100 written and oral questions on the night, school officials were provided with more than enough feedback to get a sense of the public’s concern over their plans.

Of particular interest and provided for more than a fair bit of anxiety among parents seems to be what has been called Scenario 10, a controversial plan that would see the Westview school close and the French Immersion program currently in place there transferred to Roosevelt School.

Should that scenario come to pass, the French Immersion program would take up five of the schools 18 classrooms, if the current enrollment in the program held. A possibility that may not be that strong, if rumours of a widespread withdrawal by parents of the program takes place.
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One question submitted on Thursday, pondered that possibility of student transfers out of the program and asked for the absolute final number required before the entire program had to be cancelled. The answer provided, was that the program would be terminated if there were less than 10 students enrolled, or if three grade splits became necessary to keep the program operating.

Parents also inquired as to the School District’s intentions as far as transportation to and from school went, with discussion about a proposed bus service and what were and were not the School District’s responsibilities in providing transportation to the schools.

One other issue of interest to parents was the new catchment boundaries that were designed and revealed for the first time, dividing the city up into four areas, a change that will have some parents checking their borders to see where their children will heading to school for come September.

The School District next meets on March 11, when trustees will hold a third reading on the fate of Seal Cove and Kanata schools, at that meeting the District members will also have the opportunity to put their research of the people from last Thursday night to work, as they formally respond to the District Visioning Committee and school staff recommendations.

The Daily News featured a full report on the night’s activities with a front page story in Monday’s paper.

SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF EXPLAIN REASONING BEHIND CLOSURES
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, March 03, 2008

Senior staff from School District 52 had a lot of explaining to do at Thursday evening's 'town hall' meeting where members of the public posed more than 100 written and oral questions to the three administrators regarding details of the proposed 'Scenario 10' school closures.

A large portion of questions centered around the French Immersion program currently at Westview, and what it would look like if relocated to Roosevelt. The district staff said they would make their best effort to ensure as much of Westview's French library resources were relocated. They also said staffing formulas would only change to represent the 25 per cent of students at Roosevelt who would be in the FI program, which would use five of 18 classrooms based on current enrollment numbers.

One written submission brought up a rumour that many parents of FI students would pull their students out of the program if it moved to Roosevelt, and senior staff were asked what the threshold was before the program would be terminated. Staff responded that the FI program would be terminated if class sizes fell below 10 students or if three-grade splits became necessary.

The district also recognized that gymnasium and library access at Pineridge, Roosevelt, Lax Kxeen and Conrad would suffer with the expected influx of students that would follow if Westview, Seal Cove and Kanata were closed, but said that was one of the unavoidable consequences of consolidation.
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Concerns that schools including Roosevelt and Conrad would lose current programs as a result of more students being enrolled were dispelled by the senior staff, claiming all programs would continue, with the possibility that some may be strengthened and that there could be an introduction of specialty programs.

The district's plan to accommodate some students with a bus service also came up, and some parents asked if students who miss the morning bus or with extra-curricular activities after school would be transported.

Superintendent Mercer quickly dismissed the notion that the district had such an extended responsibility to transportation, but did say that the district would partner with the city to address sidewalk and crosswalk safety. When the issue of Westview Child Care was risen, district staff also clarified they did not have a responsibility to accommodate the business, but that busses may be able stop at or near the childcare centre.

A preliminary draft of new catchment areas was also handed out to the public at the town hall meeting, which the district stressed was in no way finalized and are open to discussion.

The draft plan divides the city of Prince Rupert neatly into four catchment blocks, each spanning from the waterfront to the Eastern edge of city limits. The Pineridge catchment would include everyone South of McKay Street and the Second Avenue Bridge. Roosevelt catchment would include all students between McKay Street and McBride Street, and Lax Kxeen catchment would be the area north of McBride Street to Conrad Street. The Conrad/Lax Kxeen catchment boundary would then cut down Seventh Avenue to Donald Street, up Sixth Avenue East to Pigott Place, dividing Pigott Avenue and Overlook Street at the 1400 block. Everything North of this line, including Victoria Avenue and Crestview Drive would all fall into the Conrad catchment.
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School District 52 trustees will meet for their regular board meeting on Tues., March 11, where Seal Cove and Kanata schools will be given a third reading and trustees will have a chance to formally respond to the District Visioning Committee and district senior staff's recommendations.

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