HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-11-30, Page 41
mesvi
° me students
d be bussed to
rich, Holmesville,
kside
le Public School could
c ender the terms of a new
proposed by board of
tf.
of the Holmesville-Col-
unodation Review Com -
were offered a '"starting
eliberations in Gothrich
day that called for the
home Public School, and
) t students to Goderich
1 Elementary, Brookside
t for students north of
r Holmesville Public
t ung in September 2013.
was prepared by board
onse to a motion from
evious meeting Oct. 26,
board to look at a rural
ould preserve one of the
)ols in the system.
Uu will have suggestions
1
1
e School cou
Ai
to this option," Superintendent of
Education
-School operation Mike
Ash told the meeting. "This is just a
starting point. It would involve dos-
ing Colborne School andsending
students to Goderich, Holmesville
and Brookside'
A number of salient factors were
given consideration in the option
•including the prohibitive costs of
repairs to Colborne School to rectify
moldissues, moving students would
not involve additions to schools.
receiving students and bus rides
could be held under the board thresh-
old of one hour
The proposed boundary changes
would mean that Goderich Public
School would gain about 46 students,
GDCI Elementary would gain a few
students and Holrnesville's popula-
tion would rise to 170 students and
stabilize at 160, Ash said.
With costs estimated at $1.1 million
for a remedial fix of issues at Colborne
School, committee member Rebecca
Ingham asked if there was any
recourse available to have an inde-
pendent study of the problem and
associated costs. Janet mrd -Jackson,
Superintendent of Business, said the
school assessment was completed by
1
Students are the
number one priority
and a rural option
would allow the schools
to work as one
— Annerieke Van Beets
experts in the Industiryaddi g that the
architectural firm involved in the
study has worked for the board for 30
years and is familiar with all the build-
ings in the system. A new study would
have to follow the same criteria and
would have t be tendered in the same
manner as the original study.
Parents and students of Colborne
Public School will be surveyed in
the next few weeks to determine if
boundary changes are required and
which schools they might prefer to
attend. The committee also wants to
know the costs associated with the
consolidation of Colborne students
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 • Signal -Star 3
d remain open
into Holmesville Public School.
Earlier in the meeting, the com-
mittee learned that the Southwest
Economic Alliance (SWEA), an
association of 15 counties in south-
western Ontario funded to stimu-
late economic growth and develop-
ment In the region, was not in a
position to regard education as part
of its funding mandate. At the Octo-
ber ARC meeting, Coun. Brian
Barnim had asked the board to con-
tact SWEA about the possibility of
funding rural schools.
Earlier in the meeting, ARC mem-
bers heard from five delegations of
speakers, who all urged the com-
mittee to maintain the integrity of a
rural school in the area and work in
the best interest of the children and
community.
"My children should be entitled.
to the same education that 1 had;
Tom Trick told the meeting. "I have
been searching fora reason why my
children should not have the same
opportunity. Holmesville is a well-
oiled machine that lives up to excel-
lence in education
Area resident Annerieke Van Beets
cited the Importance of the rural
option and urged the committee to
retain the schools that provide excel-
lent education and programming.
"It is important to have a rural
option and if not, we will send our
children to town schools that have
higher incidents of bullying," she
said.
"Education is more than ABCs
and 123s. It is the environment and
not the building that speaks to the
value of the rural school," Mike
Fleming said. "Students are the
number one priority and a rural
option would allow the schools to
work as one."
Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn
and Barnim, both addressed the ARC
and challenged the group to serve
the greater needs of the community"
and Ginn emphasized that rural
schools `provide a source of devel-
opment and entrepreneurial skills in
the community school context."
"Make children the largest part of
the decision,' Barnim said. "This is
about our children and freedom of
choice. Look for a long-term
solution and this committee can
leave a legacy of saving an endan-
gered species."
ARC will hold its next public
meeting Dec. 14 in Holrnesvllle.
•
Y
RIDDER
HOSPITAI
OP IN FOR
UR CLIENT
ECEPTION
camber 3 between
lOam-2pm,
would love to show
you our ew facility
we
linow
Goderic