KAWARTHA PINE RIDGE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD. K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School

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1 KAWARTHA PINE RIDGE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD TO: TOPIC: INITIATOR: Resource Committee K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Greg Ingram, Superintendent of Student Achievement Steve Girardi, Superintendent of Student Achievement BACKGROUND 1. The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board aims to provide educational programs and services of the highest quality, in facilities conducive to a stimulating learning environment and designed to meet the needs of all pupils, within fiscal parameters. In addition to facilitating the delivery of our Board mission, the Board will endeavour to optimize the use of its facilities. Various factors beyond the control of the Board impact on this commitment. These factors include declining, increasing, and shifting populations, current funding and operation realities, new provincial legislation and policy, changing educational objectives and physical limitations of buildings. 2. The KPRDSB Long Range Accommodation Plan was received for information by the Board of Trustees in May The plan provides the Board with information and/or direction on: School buildings 20% over utilization capacity School buildings where utilization is less than 80% capacity Issues regarding program viability Ten year enrolment projections Status of physical plant including accessibility, physical condition, and buildings where operations/maintenance costs exceed the norm Indicators for future directions regarding new schools and/or additions, school consolidations/closures, boundary reviews/revisions. 3. Norwood District High School (NDHS) has been listed as a school to monitor for many years, due to declining enrolment and an ongoing concern related to programming for all students. In the Long Range Accommodation Plan , it is noted that NDHS has a capacity of 681 students, yet current enrolment for the school year is 261, representing a 38% utilization of the facility. The plan identified three options to be considered should an Accommodation Review occur: Establishment of a K-12 school on the NDHS site Creation of a Grade 7-12 school on the NDHS site Close NDHS with students either attending a Peterborough secondary school or Campbellford District Secondary School (CDHS) contingent on area of residence

2 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 2 4. The KPRDSB Long Term Accommodation Plan Update was received for information by Trustees in May The update recommended that Board staff explore the viability of a K-12 school at the Norwood District High School site during the school year. A K-12 school is identified as having the following characteristics: Two separate schools essentially operating under one building Any combination of principal/vice principal team. This would depend on enrolment and other variables that determine principal/vice principal staffing in a school Two separate teaching staffs. Elementary and secondary teachers have separate collective agreements Sharing of some support staff may be possible Sharing of some specialized facilities, equipment and common areas may be possible 5. In October 2016, a report was brought to Resource committee that confirmed the goal of the viability study and its structure: i. The goal of the Norwood K-12 Viability Study is to examine a potential K- 12 school in Norwood and its impact on students and the Board. It will inform administration as part of determining recommended next steps for Norwood District High School. ii. The report would be structured around the following topics: a. Programming for all students b. Extra-curricular opportunities c. Building and Property d. Staffing e. Funding f. Transportation g. Community Partnerships h. Enrolment Trends i. Specialized Services STATUS 6. Nine focus group meetings were held in total to also provide feedback on the topics listed above. Meetings were held with Asphodel-Norwood Municipal Council members, NDHS school council, students and teachers, Norwood District Public School council, students and teachers and Community Friends of NDHS. The format for each meeting was the same, with each group being asked to identify advantages and/or disadvantages in creating a K-12 school.

3 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 3 7. This section of the report outlines the findings of Board staff, followed by a summary of feedback provided by the focus groups: A. Secondary School Programming Providing appropriate programming that supports all students is the most critical factor in reviewing the impact of creating a K-12 school on students. Programming includes such things as the curriculum content, pedagogy and learning designs, student groupings, specialized program options, individualized support and the overall classroom learning environment. Specifically, programming in secondary schools must support students who are working at various levels of study, while also providing course opportunities to explore interests that lead to potential post-secondary destinations or directly to the workplace. The granting of an Ontario Secondary School Diploma requires the completion of 30 credits of which 18 are compulsory. In grades 9 and 10, students choose from academic, applied and/or essential level courses while in the senior grades students choose courses that lead to the workplace, apprenticeship, college and/or university destinations. Secondary school programming has the added responsibility of supporting students in their transition to employment or postsecondary education. This responsibility includes providing various compulsory and elective course options allowing students to discover new, or build on existing interests enabling them to make informed decisions about their post-secondary destination. Impact of a K-12 School on Secondary Programming Establishing a K-12 school at the NDHS site would have no significant impact on the existing programming available to secondary school students. While a K-12 school would provide easier access to additional peer tutoring and cooperative education placement opportunities, it would not impact other programming challenges of a small secondary school which include: a high number of combined grade/level classes limited variety of courses the uncertainty of course availability, especially at the senior level reduced options if a change is required during the school year. The current course options and schedule are reflected in Appendix C. The charts below provide a summary and comparison to other schools of differing sizes.

4 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 4 Focus Group Comments Responses related to programming were varied. The majority of participants felt the programming was adequate. Participants who were satisfied felt that it was beneficial for students to be in mixed classes (level and/or grade) and that the small class sizes were more important than having a wide variety of course options, single course classes and more teachers. However, some stakeholders expressed concerns with the limited programming. In particular, some secondary students indicated that while they are frustrated at times with the lack of options, attending a school in their community is very important to them. It was also suggested by some adults that students in senior grades who were required to take elearning courses, may be at an advantage, given that this would be something they might experience in post-secondary school. Video conferencing was also identified as another good use of technology to address programming concerns. Elementary School Programming Norwood District Public School (NDPS) is a JK-8 school with a current enrolment of 343 students. Programming is provided for students in all grades in accordance with Ministry of Education classroom caps, averages and guidelines. The current grade structure is as follows: NDPS Enrolment by Grade Grade Students Per Grade Total Students in Class JK/SK 11/13 24 JK/SK 13/11 24 SK/1 9/7 16 1/2 7/ /2 10/8 18 1/2 12/8 20 2/3 11/8 19 2/3 13/ /5 8/ /5 11/12 23

5 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 5 4/5 11/ /7 13/ /7 14/ Elementary schools support all students academic, social and emotional, growth. Teachers provide programming for students in a classroom setting focused on the different subjects outlined by the Ontario curriculum. Those subjects include Language, French, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Studies (Geography and History for students in grades 7 and 8), Drama, and Physical Education. Student well-being is a factor that impacts classroom considerations such as student placements, abilities and friendships, and the opportunity for specialized programming for such things as the arts, science, and technology. In larger elementary schools with more than one classroom per grade, teachers have the opportunity to work together in developing curriculum for specific grades. Impact on Elementary Programming in a K-12 School The creation of a K-12 school would not significantly impact programming for elementary students. The same programming and support that is available now would continue to be available in a combined school. There may be some opportunities for enrichment of programming through the use of specialized learning spaces (larger gymnasium, science labs, music room) and equipment such as microscopes and athletic equipment. Enrichment opportunities may be available for some students where appropriate, in both core and technology courses. While a possibility, it is not common practice currently in our 7-12 schools. Enrichment in the trades and specialist high skills major programs is also a possibility, but again could be achieved currently without creating a K-12 school. Focus Group Comments Elementary students identified having access to better facilities as an asset, being especially interested in having access to a larger gymnasium. Elementary teachers identified concerns with scheduling two schools in one facility, sharing outdoor space and some common areas in the school. It was also pointed out that creating a K-12 school, from their perspective, did not address the current programming concerns, while disrupting the elementary school that is meeting their needs. B. Impact of K-12 school on Extra-Curricular Opportunities Extra-curricular opportunities are an important part of creating a balanced education program for students. Appendix A and B list the current opportunities available to students at Norwood District High School and Norwood District Public School. Student and teacher interest generally determine what is offered at each school, along with the teacher, parent and the community s ability to support each. The creation of a K-12 school may have some impact on the extra-curricular program for

6 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 6 secondary school students with the increase in the number of staff at the school. Student opportunities for leadership may help in supporting elementary sports, clubs, and activities. Elementary students may also benefit from participating in appropriate secondary school clubs, activities, and sports (during practice or intermural times). It is important to note that in both schools, teachers are already fully involved in supporting extra-curricular activities and it is expected that any additional time to support additional options would be limited. It is also noted that having to share the gymnasium and fields may present some scheduling challenges in a combined school. Focus Group Comments Focus group participants saw some advantages for students in a K-12 setting related to extra-curricular activities. Students liked the idea of having better facilities and being able to participate in some extra-curricular programs with secondary school students. Groups also identified the possibility of some senior elementary school students accessing the late bus system to allow them to participate after school hours. Parents with children in both schools identified the advantage of having their children at one location. It was noted that there may be some challenges in having to share common areas after school hours, which does not exist currently. C. Building and Property Overview Norwood District High School has a gross floor area of 98,626 sq. ft. with a site acreage of acres. The original building was constructed in 1950 with additions in 1954, 1960, 1966 and Enrolment as of October 3, 2016, was 261 full time equivalent (FTE) which represents a 38% utilization of the building. The Facility Condition Index (FCI) provides a formula to determine the condition of a school, and identifies the costs associated with maintaining the building given the condition at the time. A school receiving a 10% renewal rating would be considered to be in very good condition. A FCI of 70% means that a building needs extensive repairs or replacement. Norwood District High School was inspected in 2014 with five year renewal needs of over $3 million. This reflects a FCI of 19.16%. If the building was to continue to operate as a high school, classroom and program facility upgrades would be required. The projected full renewal requirements to bring the school up to current standards would include: Overall physical plant renewal Classroom upgrades and paint refresh Specialty area renovations in technology, science and the learning commons Improvements to heating, windows, plumbing, lighting, millwork, electrical Estimated costs are approximately seven million dollars.

7 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 7 Norwood District Public School has a capacity of 323 pupils. The building is 25,186 sq.ft. with a site acreage of acres. The original building was constructed in 1961, with additions in 1967 and Current enrolment of 347 exceeds capacity and there are two portables utilized on the site. Norwood District Public School was inspected in 2012 with five year renewal needs of $2.7 million identified with a resulting FCI of 38%. A significant amount of work has been undertaken at Norwood District Public School since the date of the inspection, primarily a full roof renewal which leaves the FCI at approximately 17%. If the building were to continue to be occupied the school would be scheduled for the classroom refresh program. Impact of a K-12 School on Building and Property Renovations to the existing NDHS site can accommodate a K-12 school. A consolidated school would require 16 elementary and 20 secondary classrooms. (11 regular classrooms plus 9 speciality areas such as technology, science, and music classrooms). A large secondary school gymnasium would be shared while a smaller activity space would be available for students. The library and office would be shared spaces. Secondary school students would need to move through areas of the elementary portion of the school to access some areas such as the cafeteria which is located in the basement. In order to accommodate all of the programs, 3 portables would initially be required for secondary students. An additional 2 may be required within the first 5 years of operation if the projected enrolment increase in elementary students materializes. A renovated K to 12 building would have a capacity for 719 pupils, excluding the 3 portables and cost approximately $8 million. The renovated building could accommodate the current secondary and elementary classroom and programming needs and address the utilization issue at the secondary school. Disadvantages in using the NDHS site for two schools include challenges in the use of shared spaces inside and outside the building. (i.e. bus drop off area, playground, athletic field), parent concerns for young children attending the same building as teenagers and the loss of available community use space in the municipality. Reducing the secondary school to essential spaces only will put added pressure on staff who now use other spaces when needed to provide additional student support. In the end, the school would still be a renovated older building which may result in unexpected costs associated with updating the facility. If a K-12 school was created at NDHS, Norwood District Public School could be deemed surplus and then disposed of in accordance with Education Regulation 444/98 and Board Policy.

8 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 8 Focus Group Feedback Interest in creating a K-12 school at the NDHS site was generally supported as a means of addressing the building utilization issue, not necessarily as a better option than the status quo. There was also some interest across all groups in seeing a Grade 7-12 school created to address the space utilization issue and create space at Norwood District Public School. All groups identified concerns with grouping young elementary students with secondary school students, although generally felt that those concerns could be addressed. It was suggested by some, that renovating the existing building may not be seen as a positive option for parents of elementary aged students, and the community could lose more students to schools in Peterborough if this change is approved. These stakeholders felt that if a K-12 school was approved, a new build would be required. D. Staffing Staffing is determined by Ministry regulations and negotiated collective agreements. Impact of a K-12 School on Staffing Teaching staff: In secondary schools, factors that impact the allocation of teaching staff are overall enrolment, course type and class sizes. For example, Grade 11 college classes can have up to 25 students; Grade 11 university classes can have up to 29 students; Grade 10 applied classes can have up to 23 students; Grade 9 locally developed classes can have up to 14 students. In the elementary panel, 90% of all primary classes must have 20 students or less and no class can be over 23 students. Early Learning classrooms must have an average of 26 students across the school district, and the junior/intermediate class average must be The creation of a K-12 school would have no impact on the number of teaching staff in each school. The same regulations and contracts that impact staffing in two separate schools would determine teaching allocations in a K-12 school. Currently NDHS has a teacher/student ratio of 15:1. Secondary schools across the district typically have a ratio of approximately 21:1. This results in the Board providing additional staffing at NDHS so that compulsory course requirements can still be met by the school. Opportunities for cross-panel teacher collaboration could more easily occur with the two schools in one building. Principal/Vice-Principal: Currently, both NDHS and Norwood District Public School are assigned a Principal. The high school also has a Vice-Principal who teaches two classes each year in addition to the Vice-Principal responsibilities. If consolidated, one Principal/Vice-principal team would lead the school. Custodial: The current full time equivalent (FTE) allocation of custodial staff between the two schools would be slightly reduced in a K-12 school. Support Staff: Student support staff and office staff are allocated to schools based on student need, and in the case of office staff, through a pre-determined formula.

9 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 9 Focus Group Comments Some groups suggested that having teachers from the two schools at one site would create opportunities for more collaboration between panels. There were some concerns that it may be difficult to adjust to sharing a space that was once solely the space of one of the schools. E. Funding School boards receive various grants to support the operation and capital requirements of the district. There are a variety of factors that determine the amount of funding generated to operate schools. The Ministry of Education sets benchmark funding for school operations to cover such costs as basic maintenance (lawn, snow removal, utilities, and minor repairs), custodial costs and capital replacement. No funding is provided for empty or unused space. Impact of a K-12 School on Funding Currently, as an underutilized school, the operation of NDHS results in a funding shortfall for the operation and maintenance of the school building. Creating a fully utilized NDHS as a K-12 school and closing Norwood District Public School, would allow the Board to fully cover operating costs that are being subsidized now. In recent years the Ministry of Education has provided some funding to school boards in support of building new K-12 schools. In reviewing public, English language schools that have been funded, they averaged 1100 students in size. The overall school size in the approved projects is significantly larger than a potential K-12 school in Norwood, which may indicate that the option we are looking into may not qualify for similar funding. Improving programming for students is a high priority for the Ministry when considering funding for the consolidation of schools. Focus Group Comments There was interest from some participants in the Board pursuing funding for a new facility, and possibly partnering with key stakeholders in the community to access additional funding and create a jointly used facility. F. Transportation Impact of a K-12 School on Transportation The creation of a K-12 school would result in no change for secondary students, while impacting a small number of elementary pupils. Based on this year s enrolment, it is conceivable that less than ten students would be affected. Some students who currently walk would qualify for bussing while others who currently receive transportation would be in the walking distance. These small changes are consistent and occur every year, and do not present any meaningful or noteworthy

10 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 10 advantage or disadvantage. There would be virtually no discernable difference in any student s ride time given the proximity of the schools. Bussing in the area is currently shared K-12 with Catholic elementary students and this practice would continue. Focus Group Comments: Transportation was not seen as a concern for the focus groups. It was noted that providing a safe drop off and pick up area for students of all ages would need to be addressed. It was also suggested that having access to late bussing would be a benefit to the elementary students. G. Community Partnerships Schools have many community partnerships to support students. These range from such things as providing cooperative education placements to volunteers who support breakfast programs. Impact of a K-12 School on Community Partnerships Consolidating the two schools into one building may benefit some community organizations but there would be no significant impact on partnerships with the creation of a K-12 school. Focus Group Comments: Generally, it was felt that having all Norwood area students in one building would be a good thing for community partnerships. It was felt by some, that special events and celebrations could be held together and would also allow parents to attend one location and not have to decide between two schools. It may also make it easier for community based agencies to support a family from one location versus two. There will though, be added challenges to provide space for the community hub in an amalgamated school. H. Enrolment Trends NDHS is projected to have an average enrolment of 257 over the next 10 years. (Range of ). Norwood District Public School is projected to have an average of 396 students over the next 10 years. (Range of ) The majority of secondary school aged students in the NDHS catchment area attend NDHS.

11 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 11 NDHS Enrolment Projections Norwood District Public School Enrolment Projections: Impact of a K-12 School on Enrolment: It is not anticipated that the creation of a K-12 school would have any significant impact on enrolment. Focus Group Comments: The focus groups varied in their thoughts related to enrolment. Some felt that the creation of a K-12 school at the current NDHS site would be a positive change for the community, and if not attract more students, at least maintain current enrolment. Others suggested that enrolment could suffer in creating a K-12

12 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 12 school at NDHS as some parents may not want their young children in a secondary setting. I. Specialized Services All students with special needs will continue to have their needs met in a K-12 setting. Special Education/Resource Teacher and EA/CYW allotment is based on the number of student needs in elementary and secondary and are reviewed yearly through an allocation process. There would be no additional student support in a K-12 setting. Board level staff may achieve some efficiencies by having all students in Norwood in one location. Focus Group Comments: It was suggested that there may be some benefits for families to have all of their children in one building if they are receiving support from either community or school board based services. 8. Historical Context In 2004, Superintendent Sherry Summersides led a Norwood Community Dialogue committee to look at options that could potentially increase enrolment and improve the programming options available to students at NDHS. This process led to the creation of the Hockey Skills Canada program and the eventual development of a SHSM in Forestry. At the time, enrolment was approximately 350 students. The committee also looked at a number of options to consider if the new programs did not impact enrolment. These options were framed around the following premise: Student needs are our highest priority. All students in KPRDSB, regardless of location deserve to have equity of access to program. This will place them in a positive position in relation to their peers when seeking jobs and/or further academic endeavours. They need to have access to all pathways - academic, applied, world of work. In 2014, KPR staff facilitated discussions with five low enrolment school communities across the district. These focus groups identified what each valued in a secondary school education. 9. K-12 Schools in Other Districts Board staff and some trustees have contacted and visited other districts regarding K-12 school models. Information that was consistent in each area included: Elementary and Secondary schools operate independently of each other within the same building Communities preferred to have a K-12 school rather than lose their secondary school

13 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 13 Schools were located in very rural communities and often involved the consolidation of several schools Programming did not improve by establishing a K-12 school School facility utilization did improve through the consolidation process 10. Conclusions The K-12 School Viability Study was initiated to inform the Long Term Accommodation Plan. This, with other options, was identified to potentially address the following accommodation issues: School buildings where utilization is less than 80% capacity Issues regarding program viability Ten year enrolment projections Status of physical plant including accessibility, physical condition and building where operations/maintenance costs exceed the norm Upon conclusion of the review of the K-12 model, it is evident that the school space utilization issue could be addressed. This would result in some savings for the Board, however the benefits to students and staff are less apparent. Consolidating the two schools does not address in any significant way issues related to: Secondary program viability Enrolment in the secondary school. Secondary program viability and enrolment are closely linked and have been a concern at NDHS since at least At that time a similar consultation occurred to look at options related to increasing enrolment and addressing programming issues. Thirteen years later, these concerns still exist in a school that now has about one hundred fewer students. The creation of a K-12 school does not address the instability caused by low enrolment. Any solution that results in a similar number of students leaves the school open to review into the future especially if there is a further reduction in the student population. In addition, a move to a K-12 school model is not in the best interest of the students, staff or parents of Norwood District Public School. Norwood District Public School is accommodating the programming needs of students now and the building is in excellent repair. While the focus groups identified advantages to creating a K-12 school, this was not their preferred choice unless it helped to preserve a secondary school in Norwood. The status quo was generally accepted as a preference and if that is not an option, most felt that the board should consider a Gr school and/or any other model that would allow the secondary school to remain open.

14 K-12 School Viability Report Norwood District High School Page 14 RECOMMENDATIONS 1. It is recommended that the K-12 Viability Study Report for Norwood District High School dated April 12, 2017, be received for information. Greg Ingram Superintendent, Student Achievement Steve Girardi Superintendent, Student Achievement