OCCSB TRUSTEE'S REPORT

BY CATHERINE MAGUIRE-URBAN

SCHOOL CLOSURES

he Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board has decided to close St. Joseph Intermediate School by September 2003, with the students being directed to Notre Dame High School for grades 7-OAC.

At a Special Board Meeting held April 26, the Board voted to keep St. George and Elmridge Catholic Schools open. In the case of St. George, the Board felt it was important to maintain a Catholic elementary school in that area of Ottawa West.

OTHER DECISIONS

The Board deferred a decision on relocation of Assumption School and Jean Vanier Catholic Intermediate School to the former Glaude School facility until May 23. Trustees felt there were some unanswered questions concerning the breakfast and day care programs at existing schools.

The Board instructed Administration to pursue the possibility of leasing a portion of St. Thomas School to the City of Nepean which has expressed an interest in occupying an unused wing of that facility. At the same time, Administration will continue to petition the Ministry of Education to agree to remove the pupil places from the Board's inventory if the wing is leased to the city.

Students at St. Michael School will be relocated to the former Ecole St. Paul on Donald Street. Staff will carry out upgrading plans at the new location. The St. Michael parent community supports this transfer because their children will be moving out of an aging building without a gymnasium into a more spacious facility with a gym.

The Board has asked Administration to pursue other options for dealing with underutilization of Thomas D'Arcy McGee Catholic School in Gloucester. The original recommendation from Administration to send students from Elmridge Catholic School to T. D. McGee - could not be carried out with the motion to keep Elmridge Catholic School open.

Other decisions made by the Board included: that St. Daniel School students be directed to Frank Ryan/St. Pius X for September 2001 with the option of attending Notre Dame High School; that Our Lady of Victory School students be directed to St. Paul High School for grades 7-OAC effective September 2001; and that Pope John XXIII School students be given an option to attend St. Paul High School effective September 2000.

The School Area Review process is intended to address four goals important to the Board: to provide funding requirements for implementation of the Board's Fifteen Year Capital Plan by eliminating surplus pupil places; to reduce school operating costs, staffing requirements, maintenance expenditures and equipment/material costs; to provide funding for renovation and retrofitting of older school facilities; and to ensure program viability and effectiveness through the establishment of efficient school sites.