Board to host public consultations on south end schools

Annual Accommodation Review

At its annual Accommodation Meeting held on November 30, 2009, Rainbow District School Board decided to host public consultations next year on all of its schools in the City of Greater Sudbury’s south end. 

In keeping with the Ministry of Education’s recommendation that accommodation reviews focus on a group of schools within a geographic area, the Board appointed an Accommodation Review Committee for Alexander Public School, Algonquin Road Public School, Long Lake Public School, MacLeod Public School, Monetville Public School, R.L. Beattie Public School, Wanup Public School, Lockerby Composite School and Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School.

Working in an advisory role, the Accommodation Review Committee will provide to the Board’s Administrative Council recommendations to maximize student learning within the resources available to the Board in keeping with two guiding principles – all students will continue to have access to the best programming possible in quality school facilities and surplus space will be reduced.

A number of factors will be considered as part of the review process, including the quality of the learning environment at the school, the range of program offerings, the adequacy of the school’s physical space to support student learning, and the proximity of the school to students. Other factors, such as enrolment, operating costs, and capital needs, will also be considered.

Parents/guardians and the community at large will have an opportunity to provide input as the consultative process unfolds. “Decisions will be made with the full involvement of an informed local community based on a broad range of criteria regarding the quality of the learning experience for students,” said Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Jean Hanson. “Value to all students will take priority over all other considerations.” Public meetings will be announced early in the new year.

Accommodation Review Committee members will be drawn from the school community and the broader community, including parents, educators, school board officials, a secondary school student representative, a First Nation representative as well as business and municipal leaders.

In addition to the appointment of an Accommodation Review Committee for Sudbury South, the Board approved three other motions as part of its 5-Year Capital / Accommodation Plan:

• That the Administrative Council examine the possible consolidation of the administrative and support services (Board Office, Gord Ewin Centre for Education, Educational Media Centre, Computer training lab, Computers in Education staff, Computer Technicians, Maintenance Shop) into one site in conjunction with Sudbury South Accommodation Review timelines.

• That an Accommodation Review Committee be considered at the 2010 Accommodation Meeting of the Board for the following Valley North area schools – Chelmsford Public School, Larchwood Public School, Levack Public School and Chelmsford Valley District Composite School.
 
• That an Accommodation Review Committee be considered at the December 2011 Accommodation Meeting of the Board for the following Espanola area schools – A.B. Ellis Public School, S. Geiger Public School, Webbwood Public School and Espanola High School.

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Media Contact:

Jean Hanson, Director of Education,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7215.