Recommendations: Accommodation of students at Sudbury South Area Schools

The Accommodation Review Committee report for Sudbury South and the report of the Rainbow District School Board’s Administrative Council were presented to the Board of Trustees during the regular meeting on Monday, September 20, 2010.

Rainbow District School Board’s Administrative Council has endorsed most of the findings of the Accommodation Review Committee and presented the following recommendations to the Board – that Alexander Public School remain as is; that R.L. Beattie Public School remain as is; that Lockerby Composite School remain as is; that Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School remain as is; that Monetville Public School be right-sized; that Wanup Public School be closed; that Long Lake Public School be closed; that Algonquin Public School be expanded; and that a new JK to Grade 8 green school be built on the MacLeod site.

The Accommodation Review Committee, which included parents/guardians from the School Council as well as municipal and community representatives, delivered its report to the Board’s Administrative Council at the end of August. The Committee’s report is available on the Board’s website. The Administrative Council report has also been posted on rainbowschools.ca.

In delivering the recommendations of the Administrative Council, Director of Education Norm Blaseg thanked the Accommodation Review Committee for Sudbury South Area Schools. “We appreciate the time that each member has devoted to this important process,” said Director Blaseg. “The Administrative Council also thanks members of the public who have provided input and continue to do so.”

The mandate of the Administrative Council in relation to Board accommodation is to make recommendations, which will maximize student learning within the resources available to the Board, in keeping with the following guiding principles: to ensure that all students continue to have access to the best programming possible in quality school facilities, to reduce surplus space, and to ensure the sustainability of existing programs and services for all students of the Board.

Keeping Alexander Public School and R.L. Beattie Public School as is ensures the viability of programming for French Immersion elementary students in Sudbury South. There continues to be good utilization of space at both schools. The Accommodation Review Committee agreed that no modifications be made to the current French Immersion programming at both schools.

Keeping Lockerby Composite School and Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School as is ensures the viability of a Grade 9 to 12 curriculum at both secondary schools. Having the Maintenance Shop at Lockerby Composite School and the Centre for Education at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School will ensure that a good/fair utilization rate is maintained.

Maintaining Monetville Public School will ensure that quality programming continues to be provided to the Board’s most southern elementary school. In order to address surplus space, the building will be right-sized by demolishing the portion that requires significant structural improvements.

The recommendation to close Wanup Public School is in keeping with the mandate that all students have access to the best programming possible. This will eliminate the quadruple grading that currently exists at the school. Enrolment at Wanup Public School is projected to decline from 89 students in 2009-2010 to 62 students by 2013-2014. Utilization of space at Wanup Public School continues to be critical. Projections show a decline in utilization rate from 38% in 2009-2010 to 27% by 2013-2014.

The recommendation to close Long Lake Public School is in keeping with the mandate that all students have access to the best programming possible. This will eliminate the triple grading that currently exists at the school. Enrolment at Long Lake Public School is projected to decline from 72 students in 2009-2010 to 51 students by 2013-2014. The utilization rate at Long Lake Public School is projected to decline from 81% in 2009-2010 to 57% by 2013-2014.

Expanding Algonquin Public School will accommodate student enrolment from Wanup Public School and Long Lake Public School. The consolidation of the schools will allow students access to enhanced facilities – a bigger gymnasium, an expanded library collection, more computer resources, and a variety of co-curricular activities such as sports teams and clubs.

By building a new JK to Grade 8 green school on the MacLeod Public School site, the Board will replace an aging facility with a new energy efficient building. A new green school will alleviate space pressures and consolidate JK to Grade 8 programming into one building. The sustainable design would foster environmental awareness within the school and community, create a healthier environment for students and staff, and develop a culture of conservation while minimizing operating expenses.

The recommendations for both MacLeod Public School and Algonquin Public Schools are contingent on obtaining funding from the Ministry of Education. If the Board approves the recommendations, Administrative Council will apply for funds to proceed with these revitalization projects. “It is clearly our goal to obtain as much funding as possible from the Ministry of Education and invest those dollars in sustainable solutions that provide the best learning opportunities possible for our students,” said Director Blaseg.

Rainbow District School Board will hear public input related to the Accommodation Review for Sudbury South Area Schools at its regular meeting on Monday, October 18, 2010 at 5:30 pm. The meeting will take place in the Auditorium at Lockerby Composite School.

Public presentations must be made in accordance with Board by-laws available on the Board’s website.

For those unable to attend the meeting, written input will be accepted.
Please send written submissions, clearly identifying the accommodation area as Sudbury South, to:
Rainbow District School Board
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning
Centre for Education, 408 Wembley Drive
Sudbury ON P3E 1P2
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 705-674-3167

A final decision regarding the accommodation of students in Sudbury South Area Schools will be made at the Board meeting on Monday, November 15, 2010 at 5:30 pm. This meeting will take place in the Auditorium at Lockerby Composite School.

Please note:
Any changes that may be approved would take effect in September 2011 at the earliest.

For more information about the Accommodation Review, log on to rainbowschools.ca and click on accommodation under "highlights".

To make a public presentation at a Board meeting:




Delegations

Rainbow District School Board welcomes delegations to the Board in accordance with section 4.14 of the Board’s Governance By-Laws:

4.14.01    A person or delegation wishing to appear before or present a brief to the Board or a Committee shall apply in writing.  The application shall state the matter on which the submission is to be made, the organization or interested parties to be represented, and the authority of the spokesperson. Not more than two persons may be designated spokespersons.
 
4.14.02        A copy of the brief must be provided to the Secretary of the Board at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting. This rule may be suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at the meeting at which the person or delegation wishes to be heard, if in the opinion of the Chairperson and the Director, an extreme time constraint is involved.

4.14.03        For valid reasons, any persons or delegations may be denied the right to appear before the Board by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Board present at a duly constituted meeting.

4.14.04        The presenter is reminded that the written brief has been included as back-up material in the agenda for the meeting.  Therefore, trustees will have read the brief. The presenters of the brief may speak to the trustees for approximately 10 minutes in order to summarize the pertinent points in the brief and to outline the solution/action, which is requested.  They should then be prepared to receive questions for clarification from the trustees.

4.14.05        The Board’s response, when requested, will be made through the Secretary in writing at a later date, after the trustees have had the opportunity to discuss the matter and arrive at a decision.

For more information, please email [email protected] or phone 705.674.3171, ext.  7254.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705.674.3171, ext. 7217.