OCDSB TRUSTEE'S REPORT

BY LYNN GRAHAM, TRUSTEE, ZONE 9 (CAPITAL AND BRUYERE-STRATHCONA WARDS), OTTAWA-CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

SAFE SCHOOLS

he critical incident at Cairine Wilson Secondary School in Orleans has shocked and saddened our community. Fortunately no one was seriously injured. The staff, students and the parents at Cairine deserve credit for dealing with this traumatic incident in a compassionate, sensitive and co-ordinated manner.

Such an occurrence is rare and our schools are safe. Nonetheless, there are troubled youth in our society and we must ensure we are doing everything possible to reach out to them. I know this event will lead to a thorough review of board policies and procedures related to safe schools.

We have programs (such as peer outreach and mediation programs) and professional supports (such as guidance counsellors and social workers) for all students, including those most at risk. Is there anything more we can do? Do we have the resources to add more programs and services? Are we working as effectively as possible with community agencies? These are questions that will be addressed over the coming weeks.

SCHOOL & PROGRAM CHOICE

The debate is ongoing! Let me begin by saying that the OCDSB offers considerable program choice. For instance, elementary students in Old Ottawa South can attend Hopewell for Early French Immersion or English/Core French, Lady Evelyn for the Elementary Alternative program, Overbrook for Middle French Immersion or Glashan for Late French Immersion.

Depending upon the distance between home and school, transportation is provided. School choice, however, is more restricted. Students wishing to enrol in one of these programs in another school must apply for a student transfer, which is granted only in special circumstances (e.g. mid-year change of residence). Even with approval of the transfer, transportation is not assured, although some students may qualify under the board's "empty seat" policy.

Now trustees have asked staff to develop a new student transfer policy, to be presented for debate in the fall, which would allow for much more school choice, both at elementary and secondary levels. Student transfers would be denied only in special circumstances (e.g. school overcrowding). Again, transportation would not be assured.

What are your views? Do you want to see greater school choice? My concern has to do with equity of access for all students. What about students who would like to choose but cannot due to lack of transportation? Will some of our schools, particularly in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, lose the diversity in their student populations?

To me, choice is a good thing, if everybody is on an equal basis to exercise the choice. Also, if demand exceeds supply of spaces available, who gets in? Is it on a first-come, first-served basis? Is it by lottery? Let me have your views.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLOSURES

On May 25, trustees are to receive staff-recommended options for elementary school closures inside the Greenbelt. The board has decided that schools have to operate at 90% capacity (not at 100% as required by the province).

Nonetheless, this could well mean that, following a period of public consultation, trustees will vote in October 2000 to close six to twelve schools (out of a total of 72 inside the Greenbelt) as of September 2001. There is real concern in many areas inside the Greenbelt that community schools, even those with strong enrolment projections, will be proposed for closure.

TWO NEW REPORTS

The EIC (Education Improvement Commission) was set up by the Ontario Government in 1997 to oversee the transition to the province's new system of education governance. Two new reports are now available (eic.edu.gov.on.ca).

One, "Best of Effective Practices", lists innovations and effective practices of boards across the province. The second is "A Report on Improving Schools Through Greater Accountability".

One recommendation to the province is that there be a standard report card on the performance of all schools and school boards. There is no mention of a report card on the Ministry itself!

SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES

At the board meeting on April 25, trustees decided to set aside the "cap" of 25 students per class for students identified as gifted. There is no cap, only a system average, for other elementary students. However, spaces in the board's 30 elementary congregated gifted classes will still not meet the demand and staff may use a lottery to allocate the available spaces. I strongly oppose the idea of a lottery. Unfortunately, a vote to add two to four classes to meet the demand was defeated.

At the same meeting, trustees reinstated four learning disabilities classes that had been cut during budget. In my view this is positive, even though some funds now have to be reallocated from the special education staff development budget.

Please contact me at any time.

Lynn Graham

Ottawa-Carleton Dist. School Board

133 Greenbank Road

Nepean, Ontario, K2H 6L3

Tel: 730-3366     Fax: 730-3589

E-mail: lynn_graham@ocdsb.edu.on.ca