The Upper Grand District School board is planning a boundary accommodation review for Centre Wellington, and will hold a public meeting later this month to hear comments from citizens.
It means some students might be switching schools.
The purpose of the review is to establish sustainable attendance areas and program boundaries, and to provide a balanced use of schools in the township.
One major feature of the review for trustees is the location of the Kindergarten to grade 8 French immersion program, which is currently divided among three schools.
As of June 2007, French immersion for students was divided as such:
– 134 students at John Black Public School, in Fergus, from junior Kindergarten to grade 2;
– 97 students from grades 3 to 6 at James McQueen Public School, in Fergus; and
– 45 students in grades 7 and 8 at Elora Public School.
Maggie McFadzen, the school board’s communications director, said in an interview on Monday, “There’s a growing interest in French immersion in early years.”
She added the board would prefer students start that program in junior Kindergarten. But, she explained, “It’s a matter of not just where do we send students in French immersion, but how to balance over- and underutilized-schools.
“We have to make the most of our facilities and our money.”
She said James McQueen, for example, is underused and its population is not expected to grow. Elora is over used, with growth expected.
As well, J.D. Hogarth Public School has over 50% of its students in grades 7 and 8, and the desired maximum is 35%.
She said for French immersion as it is operates now, children need to change schools three times from Kindergarten to grade 8 (there is also a program at Centre Wellington District High School for French immersion).
She said the board would like to see only two schools providing French immersion, possibly from Junior Kindergarten to grade 2, and then grade 3 to grade 8.
And, she added, “There is really no need for a new school in Centre Wellington at this time. We just need to balance the schools.”
The accommodation and boundary review committee will consist of board staff, and the principals of John Black, J.D. Hogarth, James McQueen, and Elora schools.
The board’s first open house and public information meeting will be held at Elora Public School on Oct. 23, running from 4 to 6pm and 7 to 9pm.
McFadzen said anyone interested in addressing the board or committees will also have opportunities at the regular board meeting in Guelph on Oct. 28, at the operations committee meeting in Guelph on Nov. 11; and the regular board meeting on Nov. 25.
The board expects to receive its second report on Dec. 9, and citizens can also attend the board meeting on Dec. 16 and speak as a delegation if they wish.
The board is expected to make its decision that night.
Anyone wishing to read the first boundary accommodation review report can find it on the board’s web site at www.ugdsb.on.ca.
