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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-04-23, Page 24Dear Members of the Wingham, Belgrave, and Blyth Communities Avon Maitland District School Board Trustees Jenny Versteeg - Chair North Perth 519-335-3623 jennvers@fc.amdsb.ca; Doug Pratley - Vice-Chair City of Stratford 519-273-2905 dougprat@fc.amdsb.ca; Carol Bennewies - Trustee West Perth & Perth South 519-600-2554 carobenn@fc.amdsb.ca; Shelley Kaastra - Trustee Central East Huron 519-482-9537 shelkaas@fc.amdsb.ca; Al Sygrove - Trustee Northwest Huron 519-565-4534 allasygr@fc.amdsb.ca; Meg Westley - Trustee City of Stratford 519-273-4959 megwest@fc.amdsb; Colleen Schenk - Trustee Northeast Huron President - OPSBA519-357-1066 collsche@fc.amdsb.ca; Tina Traschel - Trustee Perth East 519-655-3527 tinatras@fc.amdsb.ca; Randy Wagler - Trustee Southwest Huron 519-235-4445 randwagl@fc.amdsb.ca You may be aware of the recent release of the AvonMaitland District School Board’s staff recommendation toplace the grade 7 and 8 students in local high schools. Asa member of the Central East North HuronAccommodation Review Committee, I am obliged toexpress my extreme disappointment in the staff’s recommendation. My hope is that this letter will explain how the ARC arrived at its position - and where the process goes from here. In support of what is best for our children, I respectfully ask that you read the entire letter so that you may be informed about one of the most serious issues affecting the children in this area. THE PROCESS - AN OVERVIEW Last September, the Avon-Maitland District School Board announced its intention to convene an Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) to examine the future of five schools in the area. The five schools were Blyth Public School, East Wawanosh Public School, Hullett Central Public School, Turnberry Central Public School and Wingham Public School. The stated reason for this review was one of the schools listed (Turnberry Central) had triggered a review according to the Board’s policy due to “under capacity”. The four other schools were chosen, as explained by Superintendent Mike Ash, due to the Board Staff arbitrarily drawing a north south corridor along highway 4 around Turnberry Central. The ARC consisted of representatives of the Parent Advisory Councils of the five effected schools, community representatives from each of the five communities, and Municipal Council Representatives from the three Municipalities that the five schools are located in. In addition, the Principals of the five schools were involved, along with Superintendent Mike Ash. The ARC’s task was to try and develop a plan that would address the capacity issue of the five schools. We were encouraged to “Think outside the Box”. The ARC was told that the Board could not continue to keep all five schools open due to declining enrolment and aging buildings (costing more and more to maintain). It was stated right from the start by some of the School Board Trustees that “at least one and possibly two of the schools listed would close”. This process of Accommodation Reviews happens regularly across the province. One only needs to look at the past reviews to see that they are a challenge. The traditional outcome of past reviews is that the committee fails to reach any recommendation other then “keep my school open”. Past reviews have caused considerable conflict as they pitted one school against another, one community against another community. This review however was different. During the review of the five schools in our area, a number of important things happened. First, the clear understanding that status quo was not an option. As mentioned, we knew that at least one, if not two schools, would close. Second, both levels of government were sending money to the communities to assist in softening the economic crisis. More recently, the province announced increased funding to education. And last, it became apparent that a number of senior Board staff members were blatantly in favour of placing the Grade 7 and 8s into F.E. Madill (although staff denied that any staff recommendation had commenced or position had been taken). A few members of the ARC along with many other interested people formed a working group which invested thousands of hours in the development of a plan. A progressive solution that would see the closing of four of the five schools under review - and the creation of a new modern elementary school we called The North Maitland Education Centre of Excellence. The new school would host students from kindergarten to Grade 8 from the former schools of Wingham, Turnberry, East Wawanosh, and Blyth. The working group received public input at several meetings and fine tuned their idea into an affordable, well researched and costed plan that would achieve every parent’s number one goal: a solution that would benefit our children. At the same time the solution would answer the Board’s concerns. It would benefit our children by giving them a leading-edge class education. It would keep pre-teens out of the high school, which everyone was concerned with. It answered the Board’s concerns by closing four aging schools and eliminating long-term costly repairs and maintenance, a new efficient facility that would cost less to operate. The ARC solution was a true win-win- win solution. At the end of the ARC process, the official committee put forth a number of official recommendations withlengthy rationale for each. The first recommendation wasthat the Grade 7 and 8s NOT be moved into the highschool. The second recommendation was the closure ofthe four identified schools and the creation of a new K-8school to accommodate the affected students. The new school to be built would be an affordable, modern educational facility built as a community project (and not a “Taj Mahal”, - a derogatory reference used by one of the senior Board Staff). At the final ARC meeting, there was unanimous support from the public that spoke. Even though tears were shed at the thought of closing four of our local schools, everyone realized that the kids were gaining benefit from it. Praise from the public was given to the committee for the extraordinary job it had done. THE STAFF’S RECOMMENDATION Fast forward three weeks, and on April 14, the Board Staff released their recommendation. The staff recommended the closure of Turnberry and Blyth Schools, with Grade 7 and 8 going into the High School and the rest of the students being sent to Wingham, East Wawanosh or Hullett. It should also be noted that they are also recommending the use of Portables at Wingham and Hullett due to the fact that these schools would be over crowded. As you can imagine, the members of the ARC along with many other parents and community members were outraged. I for one am astonished at the total failure of the senior staff proposal. The proposal totally disregards the wishes of the community and in many people’s opinion neglects the educational needs of our children. The proposal didn’t even meet the Board’s own objectives. They missed the mark. We had a chance to work together to provide our children the kind of educational opportunity that children in Ontario’s urban areas take for granted. Their proposal only served to perpetuate the undeserved reality that children in rural Ontario are treated as second class citizens when it comes to education. They would remove our one opportunity.....our one hope to make a positive impact to thousands of children over the next generation, hence the reason for this letter. In regards to the staff’s recommendation, I would like to illustrate a couple of the many reasons why so many parents are extremely disappointed. With respect to the 11 and 12-year-olds going to a high school, it has been made crystal clear that the community is overwhelmingly against this. Every member of the public who stood up and presented at the ARC and various other public meetings was resolutely opposed to the shameful idea of putting pre-teens into a high school setting. There were plenty of reasons. There was reference to the concerns of the drug and alcohol abuse in Huron County teens. There was also reference to the concern of sexual abuse, activity and worse. It was noted that the School Board must have these same concerns. After all, they spend considerable amount of the time during the current Grade 8 Orientation Day warning the students about these very issues before arrival into the high school. Is the Board now planning on giving the same presentation to the Grade 6 students before they arrive? There have been letters to the Editor from concerned parents at the very thought of this scenario. And despite the Board’s assurances that in Stratford, where the same Board placed Grade 7 and 8s into the High School there alleged there are no problems, it was noted that there have been letters to the paper there that indicate otherwise. Teachers privately state that there are many problems with the Grade 7 and 8s in the high school, but at the fear of repercussions from the Board they are prevented from speaking publicly about these concerns. Second, with respect to the educational needs of our children, how can crowding students in aging facilities and cluster of portables enhance their learning environment? Especially when this second-class citizen solutions compared to the ARC proposal for an up-to-date educational facility equipped with modern equipment, and where children would benefit from the latest teaching techniques. Now, the Senior Board Staff indicate that the ARC proposal to keep the Grade 7 and 8s out of the high school does not address the under-capacity issue of F.E. Madill. To this I would like to respond by indicating that the ARC was not charged with this duty. There were only five schools - five elementary schools - listed in the Review....and F.E. Madill was not one of them. If the Board wishes the capacity of the high schools to be examined,then it should simply initiate an Accommodation Reviewon it as well. There are many solutions to this problem andwould be happy to become involved in that process, but tochange the terms of reference at the end of the processand propose to solve the issue through the back door, is shameful. And to put our young pre-teen children at risk, is in my opinion, reprehensible. THE SOLUTION So what now? After months of operating under the clear instructions to address an elementary school issue, the reality is something altogether different. On one hand, a recommendation was put together through months of collaboration, public input analysis and in-depth research. A recommendation that received such strong support the parents and community members are willing to sacrifice their beloved local school buildings for it. On the other hand we have the Staff Recommendation that was cobbled together in three weeks (remember the Board said they weren’t leaning towards any one scenario during the ARC) that totally disregards the wishes of the community and more important, what is in the best educational and social interest of the children. The issue is now in the Board of Trustees hands. They will be hosting board meetings between now and June 23 when the final vote is expected to take place. Strangely enough, some of the trustees have indicated that their mind is not made up yet. However these same trustees have already started making arrangements for bus trips for the public to tour the Stratford high school where the Grade 7 and 8s have been placed. Their hope is that they can do a sales job on parents and extinguish the fire of opposition by members of our community. I assure I for one, along with many others will not be easily extinguished. What about the children? It is a shame that instead of working with the Board Staff over the next few months to secure the necessary funding to build the new elementary school proposed by the ARC, we will consume all possible resources to fend off the Board Staff and their willingness to expose 11 and 12-year-olds to social pressures they don’t deserve in an environment they confirmed does the same: it will not improve their academic achievement. As the ARC achieved remarkable results by coming together, we as the larger community need to come together to achieve a result. We must unite and let our feelings be known. While there are some that may be tired of the process, there are many other parents who are openly talking about withdrawing their children from the public education system. Some are researching starting a private school while others are threatening to redirect their property tax dollars away from the Avon-Maitland District School Board. These are legitimate reactions which confirm the level of anger and frustration. As an optimist, I believe that if we, the entire community, let our elected trustees know that under no circumstances will we stand for the Grade 7 and 8s being shoved into the high school, they will make the right decision. They will do what is best for our children. With that in mind, I ask each and every one of you for your help. I need you to contact the trustees on the Avon- Maitland District School Board (their contact information is below) and respectfully let them know your opinion. Our local trustees need to know and so do all the others. I also ask you to contact your friends and family members who live in other areas of Huron and Perth Counties and ask them to also contact the Trustees. And I ask you to join us at the School Board meetings that are being held between now and June 23. Ask to present as a delegation to the Board, and let them hear your opinion in a public manner. Now is not the time to suffer in silence. Please stay informed on the matter. Listen to and read local media to learn of upcoming meetings and events. Join the newsletter started by supporters of the North Maitland Educational Centre of Excellence by emailing a request to nmece@getlivingwater.org . For Facebook fans, join the North Maitland Centre of Excellence Group. Keep up to date. So there is the challenge. It is time for us to rise to it. To remain quiet on this issue will only seal our children’s fate and perpetrate them status ‘second class citizens’ who are shoved into second tier buildings to receive a second class education. However, if we remain strong and united, our children will benefit for years to come. The choice is yours. On behalf of many concerned parents and citizens, Mark Beaven PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009.