Multi-Year Plan for Student Learning and Accommodation Planning WESTERN AREA REVIEW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FINAL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS JANUARY 2017 Bell HS Merivale HS Sir Robert Borden HS Woodroffe HS Bells Corners PS Lakeview PS Bayshore PS D.A. Moodie IS Century PS Sir Winston Churchill PS Meadowlands PS Carleton Heights PS Leslie Park PS Briargreen PS Knoxdale PS Greenbank MS Manordale PS Grant Alternative* Churchill Alternative* Agincourt Road PS J.H. Putman PS D. Roy Kennedy PS Pinecrest PS Regina Street PS Severn Avenue PS Woodroffe Avenue PS *For the purposes of the Western Review, the two alternative schools are included in the Sir Robert Borden family of schools The Western Area Pupil Accommodation Review involved 26 schools in the Bell, Merivale, Sir Robert Borden and Woodroffe High School families of schools. The purpose of the review was to recommend changes which support: more equitable access to program offerings; greater consistency in school size; school configurations of grades JK-6, 7-12 and grades JK-8, 9-12; enriched program offering wherever possible; enhanced capacity to delivery special education programs using the geographic model; alignment of schools to support the Secondary School Program Framework and the draft Elementary School Program Framework; and optimization of available resources. In September 2016, an initial staff report with proposals for change was presented to the Board (The Western Area Pupil Accommodation Review: Initial Report). The proposed changes were designed to address the fact that the Western Review Area has 3,837 excess pupil spaces in 22 elementary and 4 secondary schools. The plan proposed changes to school grade configurations, school closures and program consolidation, reducing the number of excess pupil spaces by 2,117. Consultation on the proposed plan took place between September and January. The consultation feedback has helped to inform the final staff recommendations, which are explained in detail in the Western Area Pupil Accommodation Review: Final Report. Every effort has been made to ensure that the proposed recommendations will result in wider program opportunities for students at the District level, better consolidation of support services for students, more equitable access to programs of choice and facilities that are in better condition to support student learning. - 1 -
CONSULTATION Consultation took place from 15 September 2016 to mid-january 2017 in the following ways: Public meetings two public meetings were held and each meeting offered participants an opportunity to ask questions of staff either in an open house forum or in a formal public meeting setting. Approximately 130 and 210 people attended respectively. Pupil Accommodation Review Advisory Committee was comprised of one school council representative per area school. The committee reviewed the proposed plan, discussed options and implementation issues, and shared information from and with their school community. Minutes of the meetings are available on our website. Online community engagement this interactive online platform allowed for consultation with and among stakeholders. The online discussions were held by inviting family of schools and stakeholders to respond to questions about the proposed changes. For each family of schools, there were two engagement forums: one for parents, students, and the community, and another for staff. In the Western Area Review, 3,073 participants shared 6,353 thoughts and assigned 205,984 stars to the thoughts that most reflected their position. Direct email, delegations and community meetings in addition to the scheduled consultation forums, considerable feedback was received via email, delegations at Committee and Board meetings, and in community based meetings. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE A high level summary of recommended changes is as follows: Bell High School (HS) would become a grade 7 12 school; D. Aubrey Moodie Intermediate School (IS) would close; Bells Corners Public School (PS), Lakeview PS and Bayshore PS would become JK grade 6 schools, with Bells Corners PS offering English( ENG) and Middle French Immersion (MFI), Lakeview PS offering Early French Immersion(EFI), and Bayshore PS offering ENG and EFI; Sir Robert Borden HS would become a grade 7 12 school; Greenbank Middle School (MS) would close and it s students would attend Sir Robert Borden HS; Leslie Park PS would close and its students would attend Briargreen PS; Grant Alternative School (AS) would close and its students would attend Churchill Alternative School (AS); Merivale HS would become a grade 7 12 school and (upon certification) would offer the west end International Baccalaureate (IB) program; Century PS would close and its students would attend Carleton Heights PS; Regina Street PS would close and its students would attend D. Roy Kennedy PS; J.H. Putman PS would close coincident with the opening of a new intermediate wing at Agincourt Road PS; Agincourt Road PS would become a JK grade 8 school coincident with opening of a new intermediate wing; Woodroffe Ave PS would become a JK-8 school; Staff monitor new Severn Avenue PS EFI with consideration to expanding to a JK-8 structure as soon as critical enrolment is achieved to sustain an intermediate program; and Severn Avenue PS would become a K grade 6 structure for immersion students (starting with grades 1 to 3), the Woodroffe Avenue PS EFI boundary would be changed and the current Severn Avenue PS english students would attend Pinecrest PS or D. Roy Kennedy PS depending on their place of residence. - 2 -
BELL FAMILY OF SCHOOLS: AN OVERVIEW A Summary of What We Heard Through Consultation Concerns from both the Lakeview PS and Bells Corners PS communities about having their children bused out of the community for their respective programs (EFI program at Lakeview PS and ENG and MFI at Bells Corners PS). Several alternate solutions were provided through the feedback: triple tracking Bells Corners PS by adding EFI; closing Lakeview PS and sending its population to D. Aubrey Moodie IS for a new JK-grade 6 EFI school; redrawing boundaries to make D. Aubrey Moodie IS a JK-grade 8 school. Concerns were expressed about the closure of D. Aubrey Moodie IS. Concerns were expressed about the implementation readiness and management of adding grade 7 and 8 students to the grade 9-12 environment at Bell HS. This feedback led us to consider other options which are detailed in the full report. Bell High School Family Staff Final Recommendations Bell High School would become a grade 7 to 12 school effective September 2017. D. Aubrey Moodie Intermediate School would be closed and its grade 7 and 8 English program with Core French, Early French Immersion, and Middle French Immersion programs would be redirected to Bell High School effective September 2017. D. Aubrey Moodie Intermediate School Developmental Disabilities (DD) program class students would be relocated to Bell High School effective September 2017. D. Aubrey Moodie Intermediate School General Learning Program (GLP) class serving intermediate division students would be relocated to Bell High School effective September 2017. Bayshore Public School would continue to offer an English program with Core French and become a JK-grade 6 school for September 2017. An Early French Immersion program would be introduced at Bayshore Public School beginning with grade 1 in September 2017, one grade would be added per year thereafter, and the new program s attendance area would be coincident with the school s English Program with Core French boundary. JK and SK students attending Lakeview Public School and residing in the new Bayshore Early French Immersion program boundary area would be relocated to Bayshore Public School for September 2017. Lakeview Public School would continue as an Early French Immersion program with grade 6 added and would become a JK-grade 6 school for September 2017. The Bayshore area would be phased out of the Lakeview Public School Early French Immersion program attendance boundary as part of the introduction of a new program at Bayshore Public School beginning with JK, SK, and grade 1 for September 2017. Bells Corners Public School would continue to be an English and Middle French Immersion program school with grade 6 added and would become a JK grade 6 school for September 2017. The Bells Corners Public School Language Learning Disabilities (LLD) program class would continue to be located at Bells Corners Public School for September 2017. - 3 -
If approved, the Bell HS family of schools enrolment would change as follows: Bell Family of Schools School Current Recommended Bell HS 9 12 7 12 D.A. Moodie IS 6 8 Closed: Gr 6s to home school, 7 8 to Bell HS Bells Corners PS JK 5 ENG, MFI JK 6 ENG, MFI Lakeview PS JK 5 EFI JK 6 EFI Bayshore PS JK 5 ENG JK 6 ENG, EFI Total Pupil Places 2,964 2,462 MERIVALE FAMILY OF SCHOOLS: AN OVERVIEW A Summary of What We Heard Through Consultation To leave Century PS open; To consolidate the ENG program within the family of schools; That if Century PS was closed, students needed to remain together as a cohort within a walkable community school boundary; i.e., Sir Winston Churchill PS; To close Carleton Heights PS and have its students attend Century PS; To make Sir Winston Churchill PS an ENG with Core French school and have Carleton Heights PS and Century PS house EFI programs; There are concerns about the number of transitions for students in the Developmental Disabilities Program (DD) system class at Carleton Heights PS; Concerns about the implementation readiness and management of adding grades 7 and 8 to the grades 9-12 environment at Merivale HS; Widespread support of the introduction of a second IB program at Merivale HS; and Questions about the implementation of the second IB program at Merivale HS. This feedback led us to consider other options which are detailed in the full report. Merivale High School Family of Schools Staff Final Recommendations Merivale High School would become a grade 7 to 12 school effective September 2017. The Sir Winston Churchill Public School grades 7 and 8 English program with Core French and Early French Immersion programs would be redirected to Merivale High School effective September 2017. The Sir Winston Churchill Public School Dual Support Program (DSP) class would be relocated to D. Roy Kennedy Public School effective September 2017. The Carleton Heights PS Grade 7 and 8 English Program with Core French and Middle French Immersion programs would be redirected to Merivale High School effective September 2017. The Carleton Heights Public School Developmental Disabilities (DD) program classes serving junior and intermediate division students would remain at Carleton Heights Public School until such time as the students are ready to attend a secondary school program. A new International Baccalaureate (IB) program would be introduced at Merivale High School and the program would be phased in to the school beginning with grade 9 students upon the approval of program certification. - 4 -
Century Public School would be closed effective September 2017 and its JK to grade 6 English Program with Core French redirected to Carleton Heights Public School. The Century Public School Language Learning Disabilities (LLD) program class would be relocated to Carleton Heights Public School effective September 2017. The portion of Brookfield High School s grade 9 to 12 attendance area bounded by Baseline Road to the north, Fisher Avenue to the west, and the Rideau River to the south and east, would be redirected to Merivale High School effective September 2017, and students residing in this boundary area who are currently enrolled at Brookfield High School would be permitted to remain at that school. The portion of Glebe Collegiate Institute s Grade 9 to 12 attendance area which is contained within the existing Carleton Heights Public School grade 7 8 English Program with Core French boundary (the Green Valley Crescent area) would be redirected to Merivale High School effective September 2017, and students residing in this boundary area who are currently enrolled at Glebe Collegiate Institute would be permitted to remain at that school. If approved, the Merivale HS family of schools enrolment would change as follows: Merivale Family of Schools School Current Recommended Merivale HS 9 12 7 12 Reg + IB Meadowlands PS JK 6 ENG, EFI JK 6 ENG, EFI Sir Winston Churchill PS JK 6 EFI; 7 8 EFI,ENG JK 6 EFI Century PS JK 6 ENG Closed: to Carleton Heights PS Carleton Heights PS JK 8 ENG, MFI JK 6 ENG, MFI Total Pupil Places 3,313 2,869 SIR ROBERT BORDEN FAMILY OF SCHOOLS: AN OVERVIEW A Summary of What We Heard Through Consultation Opposition to the closure of Leslie Park PS. Feedback included questions about the accuracy of the enrolment projections based on future residential development in the area and offered the alternative solution of adding a MFI program to bolster enrolment; Concerns about the relocation of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) system classes at Leslie Park PS to Briargreen PS (the suitability of the open instructional spaces); Opposition to the closure of Grant AS and its potential relocation to Churchill AS. A number of those concerns were tied to how well the alternative program at Grant AS had been promoted over the years. Concerns about the implementation readiness and management of adding Greenbank MS s grade 7 and 8 students to the grade 9-12 environment at Sir Robert Borden High School. This feedback led us to consider other options which are detailed in the full report. Sir Robert Borden High School Family of Schools Staff Final Recommendations Sir Robert Borden High School would become a grade 7 to 12 school effective September 2017. Greenbank Middle School would be closed and its grade 7 and 8 English program with Core French, Early French Immersion, and Middle French Immersion programs would be redirected to Sir Robert Borden High School effective September 2017. - 5 -
The portion of Greenbank Middle School s Middle French Immersion program attendance boundary (grades 7 and 8) bounded by Baseline Road, Woodroffe Avenue, Highway 417, and both sides of Morrison Drive would be redirected to D. Roy Kennedy Public School for September 2017; and that Middle French Immersion program students residing in this boundary area would be permitted to continue at designated schools; and this provision be extended to the siblings of these students born in 2017 or earlier. The Greenbank Middle School grades 7 and 8 Gifted Early French Immersion specialized class would be relocated to Bell High School effective September 2017. Leslie Park Public School would be closed and its JK to grade 6 English Program with Core French would be redirected to Briargreen Public School effective September 2017. The two Leslie Park Public School Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) program classes would be relocated to Woodroffe Avenue Public School effective September 2017. Grant Alternative School be closed and its JK to grade 6 Alternative program be redirected to Churchill Alternative School effective September 2017. The portion of Knoxdale Public School s Middle French Immersion program attendance boundary (grades 4 to 6) bounded by Baseline Road, Woodroffe Avenue, Highway 417, and both sides of Morrison Drive would be redirected to D. Roy Kennedy Public School for September 2017; and MFI program students residing in this boundary area would be permitted to continue at designated schools; and this provision be extended to the siblings of these students born in 2017 or earlier. If approved, the Sir Robert Borden HS family of schools enrolment would change as follows: Sir Robert Borden Family of Schools School Current Recommended Sir Robert Borden HS 9 12 7 12 Greenbank MS 7 8 Closed: to Sir Robert Borden HS Knoxdale PS JK 6 EFI, MFI No Change Manordale PS JK 6 EFI, ENG No Change Leslie Park PS JK 6 ENG Closed: to Briargreen PS Briargreen PS JK 6 ENG No Change Churchill AS JK 6 Alternative No Change Grant AS JK 6 Alternative Closed: to Churchill AS Total Pupil Places 3,716 3,185 WOODROFFE FAMILY OF SCHOOLS: AN OVERVIEW A Summary of What We Heard Through Consultation Opposition to the closure of J.H. Putman PS based on its programming excellence and strong value to the school community; If the school were to close, then concerns about the viability of moving grades 6, 7 and 8 J.H. Putman PS students to Agincourt Road PS. Challenges that were discussed were the lack of capacity and intermediate instructional spaces at Agincourt Road PS and comments about the loss of middle school experiences; Concerns about the Woodroffe Avenue PS grades 7 and 8 students moving to Severn Avenue PS before moving to secondary school and not grandfathering students currently at Woodroffe Avenue PS; Questions regarding whether Severn Avenue PS s current ENG program students could remain together, either through a one-time option or through a phase-out of the program from the school building; Opposition to the closure of Regina Street PS based on its community centered locality and its - 6 -
proximity to Mud Lake; Concerns about the decrease in enrolment numbers at D. Roy Kennedy PS; Questions about why Woodroffe High School is not proposed to change to a grade 7-12 configuration; and Questions as to whether Severn Avenue PS new JK-grade 6 configuration could be amended to JK-grade 8. This feedback led us to consider other options which are detailed in the full report. Woodroffe High School Family of Schools Staff Final Recommendations Regina Street Public School would be closed and its JK to grade 6 English Program with Core French be redirected to D. Roy Kennedy Public School effective September 2017. The Regina Street Public School Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) program class would be relocated to Woodroffe Avenue Public School effective September 2017. The J.H. Putman Public School grade 7 and 8 Early French Immersion program north of Highway 417 would be redirected to Woodroffe Avenue Public School beginning with grade 7 in September 2017, and Woodroffe Avenue Public School would become a JK to grade 8 school. J.H. Putman Public School would be closed effective upon the opening of an addition to Agincourt Road Public School, and its grade 6, 7 and 8 Early French Immersion program (south of Highway 417) would be redirected to Agincourt Road Public School which would become a JK to grade 8 school, and its grade 6, 7, and 8 English Program with Core French would be redirected to Pinecrest Public School. The J.H. Putman Public School Behaviour Intervention Program (BIP) class would be relocated to D. Roy Kennedy Public School effective upon the opening of an addition to Agincourt Road Public School. The J.H. Putman Public School Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) program class would be relocated to Sir Robert Borden High School effective upon the opening of an addition to Agincourt Road Public School. The Agincourt Road Public School JK to grade 5 English Program with Core French would be redirected to Pinecrest Public School effective upon the opening of an addition to Agincourt Road Public School. The Severn Avenue Public School JK to grade 6 English Program with Core French north of Carling Avenue would be redirected to D. Roy Kennedy Public School and south of Carling Avenue to Pinecrest Public School, effective September 2017. Severn Avenue Public School English Program with Core French students (2016-2017) residing north of Carling Avenue and redirected to D. Roy Kennedy Public School would be given a onetime option to choose to enrol at Pinecrest Public School for September 2017, and this option would be extended to siblings born in 2017 or earlier. A JK to 6 Early French Immersion program would be introduced at Severn Avenue Public School beginning with Grades 1 to 3 in September 2017 and adding one grade per year thereafter, and its attendance area be comprised of that part of Woodroffe Avenue Public School s EFI attendance area bounded by Highway 417 to the south, the Transitway to the east, and the current Lakeview Public School EFI boundary to the west. Staff would monitor the new Severn Avenue Public School Early French Immersion program with the intention of adding grades 7 and 8 to the school in the future, subject to the establishment of viable enrolment numbers. JK, SK, grade 1, and grade 2 students enroled at Woodroffe Avenue Public School (2016-2017) and residing in the new Early French Immersion program boundary area would be relocated to Severn Avenue Public School for September 2017. Current Woodroffe Avenue Public School JK, SK, grade 1 and grade 2 students (2016-2017) residing in the new Early French Immersion program boundary area, with siblings also attending Woodroffe Avenue Public School in grades 3 to 6, would be given a one-time option to continue at the school, and the above option be extended to siblings born in 2017 or earlier. - 7 -
If approved, the Woodroffe HS family of schools enrolment would change as follows: Woodroffe Family of Schools School Current Recommended Woodroffe HS 9 12 9 12 Pinecrest PS JK 8 ENG JK 8 ENG Severn Avenue PS JK 6 ENG JK 6 EFI opening JK 3 with approval of 7 8 offering with adequate enrolment. ENG to Pinecrest and D. Roy Kennedy. Woodroffe Avenue PS JK 6 EFI JK 8 EFI Agincourt Road PS JK 5 EFI, ENG JK 8 EFI upon opening addition at Agincourt Road PS J.H. Putman PS 6 8 ENG, EFI Closed upon opening addition at Agincourt Road PS Regina Street PS JK 6 ENG Closed: to D. Roy Kennedy PS D. Roy Kennedy PS JK 8 ENG, MFI JK 8 ENG, MFI Total Pupil Places 4,131 3,491 NEXT STEPS The staff report will be presented to Committee of the Whole on Monday, February 13th at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at 133 Greenbank Road. At that meeting, the Committee will hear delegations by Family of School and once delegations are complete, the Committee will begin deliberations. If necessary, the meeting will continue on Tuesday, February 14th at 7:00 p.m. Persons interested in appearing as a delegation may contact Board Services at 613-596-8211 ext 8363 or at samantha.flynn@ocdsb.ca. Please note that all delegations will have a maximum of 2 minutes. The Committee of the Whole makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Final Board approval is scheduled for Monday, March 1, 2017. Questions can be directed to westernareareview@ocdsb.ca TRANSITION PLANNING Any decision to close or restructure a school requires thoughtful transition planning. The transition process will be planned and implemented in collaboration with parents/guardians, students, school staff, board staff and senior administration through a school level transition planning committee. More detail is available in the report and in the The Student Learning and Accommodation Planning Transitions Planning Guidelines (Appendix E) which provides the framework that will facilitate the change process. - 8 -