School District 52 took the path of no resistance this week, with its decision not to close either Kanata or Seal Cove schools for the upcoming school year, a sensible choice considering all the problems a decision to close would create this late in the school year.
There had been a galvanizing of support from the areas surrounding both schools, to get the message across that neither school should be closed down at the moment, considering the lack of closure if you will for the students, staff and parents of the individual schools.
What was surprising was a decision to defer any decision until next March, which seems to put them back in the same spot they are at the moment. Why they won’t tackle the issue head on in September and then provide everyone with enough notice to plan a proper process is perhaps something that the School trustees can explain when school resumes in September. That decision seems to run counter to the urgency over the physical state of the schools, which they proclaimed, was their intention in the first place.
There is a need for updated schools in the district, many of the current lot are not up to seismic standards and there is a case to be made for consolidation of perhaps at least two of the schools in the city, as declining enrollment remains an issue. Though a case could be made that if the city is to increase in population as some predict, it might be wise to keep neighbourhood schools intact and updated where they are.
Regardless of the different talking points on closures, decisions like these, need to be handled in a more efficient manner than it was in the last couple of months. The prospect of having the students not knowing what was going to happen as they left for the summer was the main sticking point and in the end the one that scuttled the plans for another year. Without proper time to explain to them what was happening and why, it was thought best for the students to return to familiar surroundings for the start of the school year, which was a sensible choice all things considered.
But putting off the next round of decisions until March 2008 seems rather self defeating once again, better to get the issues out and discussed early on, allowing for a full examination of the options and an informed and timely decision.
The Daily News featured the decision as its front page story in Thursday’s paper.
STUDENT’S SUMMER WORRIES EASE AS SCHOOLS SAFE FOR NOW
School trustees decide to draw line under closure talk until March 2008
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Pages one and three
Seal Cove and Kanata public schools will remain open for the 2007-08 school year, as a result of a decision made at Tuesday evening’s school board meeting.
The school closure meetings will be postponed until March 11, 2008, when the board will revisit the possibility of closing either or both of the two elementary schools permanently.
The postponement comes on the heels of a large public outcry that not enough time had been allotted and consideration given on the part of the school board.
“We’re pleased with the decision to postpone the final reading to a later date, when teachers, students and parents have had the opportunity to give further input and to look at the full teaching community throughout the district,” said Prince Rupert and District Teachers Union President Marty Bowles, who was in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.
The majority of complaints coming form the community had to do with the timing of the closure announcement, which was originally expected to see a final decision at the July 10 meeting. However, not even the school board trustees were prepared to argue against criticism of the timing.
“A tone that rang very clear was the timing, and we absolutely agree. Yes, the timing was terrible, we did that to ourselves,’ said school board chair Tina Last. “That said, I wouldn’t agree to taking school closure in itself off the table, because I don’t want to give the community the impression that we don’t need to look at this. We absolutely do need to look at this.”
The school board was adamant about the fact that a t least three schools in the district do not meet seismic and mechanical structure codes. Moreover, the ministry has already made it clear it will not give funding to fix them all.
“If you were to build Conrad school just like it is today, it would not pass the current building code,” said Secretary-Treasurer Dan Rodin.
“Similarly, with Kanata, similarly with Seal Cove.
“Would they pass today’s codes? No. they wouldn’t.
“Are they seismicly safe? No they are not,” Rodin said.
“Are their HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) systems currently up to standards? No they are not,” said Rodin.
This leaves both the community and the board faced with hard questions, the most daunting being whether or not to send students back to school in September in schools that may be placing their physical security at risk.
“What I have to make a decision on as a trustee, is (not only) the emotional security of children in the building, but am I willing to jeopardize their physical safety in the building?” said Last.
“And as a trustee, to whoever is listening, I’m not. I’m not willing to jeopardize your children’s safety or that of the staff in the building.”
What will become of Kanata and Seal Cove schools in the long term remains to be decided. As result of Tuesday evening’s postponement, students and staff of both schools will return to classroom in September.
There had been a galvanizing of support from the areas surrounding both schools, to get the message across that neither school should be closed down at the moment, considering the lack of closure if you will for the students, staff and parents of the individual schools.
What was surprising was a decision to defer any decision until next March, which seems to put them back in the same spot they are at the moment. Why they won’t tackle the issue head on in September and then provide everyone with enough notice to plan a proper process is perhaps something that the School trustees can explain when school resumes in September. That decision seems to run counter to the urgency over the physical state of the schools, which they proclaimed, was their intention in the first place.
There is a need for updated schools in the district, many of the current lot are not up to seismic standards and there is a case to be made for consolidation of perhaps at least two of the schools in the city, as declining enrollment remains an issue. Though a case could be made that if the city is to increase in population as some predict, it might be wise to keep neighbourhood schools intact and updated where they are.
Regardless of the different talking points on closures, decisions like these, need to be handled in a more efficient manner than it was in the last couple of months. The prospect of having the students not knowing what was going to happen as they left for the summer was the main sticking point and in the end the one that scuttled the plans for another year. Without proper time to explain to them what was happening and why, it was thought best for the students to return to familiar surroundings for the start of the school year, which was a sensible choice all things considered.
But putting off the next round of decisions until March 2008 seems rather self defeating once again, better to get the issues out and discussed early on, allowing for a full examination of the options and an informed and timely decision.
The Daily News featured the decision as its front page story in Thursday’s paper.
STUDENT’S SUMMER WORRIES EASE AS SCHOOLS SAFE FOR NOW
School trustees decide to draw line under closure talk until March 2008
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Pages one and three
Seal Cove and Kanata public schools will remain open for the 2007-08 school year, as a result of a decision made at Tuesday evening’s school board meeting.
The school closure meetings will be postponed until March 11, 2008, when the board will revisit the possibility of closing either or both of the two elementary schools permanently.
The postponement comes on the heels of a large public outcry that not enough time had been allotted and consideration given on the part of the school board.
“We’re pleased with the decision to postpone the final reading to a later date, when teachers, students and parents have had the opportunity to give further input and to look at the full teaching community throughout the district,” said Prince Rupert and District Teachers Union President Marty Bowles, who was in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.
The majority of complaints coming form the community had to do with the timing of the closure announcement, which was originally expected to see a final decision at the July 10 meeting. However, not even the school board trustees were prepared to argue against criticism of the timing.
“A tone that rang very clear was the timing, and we absolutely agree. Yes, the timing was terrible, we did that to ourselves,’ said school board chair Tina Last. “That said, I wouldn’t agree to taking school closure in itself off the table, because I don’t want to give the community the impression that we don’t need to look at this. We absolutely do need to look at this.”
The school board was adamant about the fact that a t least three schools in the district do not meet seismic and mechanical structure codes. Moreover, the ministry has already made it clear it will not give funding to fix them all.
“If you were to build Conrad school just like it is today, it would not pass the current building code,” said Secretary-Treasurer Dan Rodin.
“Similarly, with Kanata, similarly with Seal Cove.
“Would they pass today’s codes? No. they wouldn’t.
“Are they seismicly safe? No they are not,” Rodin said.
“Are their HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) systems currently up to standards? No they are not,” said Rodin.
This leaves both the community and the board faced with hard questions, the most daunting being whether or not to send students back to school in September in schools that may be placing their physical security at risk.
“What I have to make a decision on as a trustee, is (not only) the emotional security of children in the building, but am I willing to jeopardize their physical safety in the building?” said Last.
“And as a trustee, to whoever is listening, I’m not. I’m not willing to jeopardize your children’s safety or that of the staff in the building.”
What will become of Kanata and Seal Cove schools in the long term remains to be decided. As result of Tuesday evening’s postponement, students and staff of both schools will return to classroom in September.
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