new elementary school closure process is underway. The OCDSB must close some schools inside the Greenbelt in order to build schools in the rapidly growing suburbs outside the Greenbelt. Provincial funding for new construction will flow only to school boards that are operating existing schools at 100% capacity, on average (a classroom count multiplied by the maximum number of students per classroom). Trustees have decided that schools inside the Greenbelt should have an average operating capacity of 90%. Many outside the Greenbelt are well over 100%.
The "Central Family" of schools includes Cambridge, Centennial, Elgin, First Avenue, Glashan, Hopewell, Lady Evelyn, Mutchmor, Viscount Alexander and York. Since these schools have an average operating capacity of 79%, a staff report presents options for closure and Centennial, Elgin, Mutchmor, Viscount Alexander and York are named in one or more of the scenarios. The public has until June 26 to examine and respond to the staff proposals. At the end of the summer, staff will make their final recommendations and trustees will vote on closures in October 2000 to take effect by September 2001.
School and community leaders are studying the options and there may be some solid pedagogical rationale for recommending one or more closures. However, schools in the "Central Family" are reasonably full and some "surplus" space can be put to good use; for instance, child care and adult education groups can and do rent classrooms. Before and after school and on weekends, schools are used for community recreation programs. Furthermore, the trend is to view schools as community hubs where education, health and social services (among others) partner to serve local needs.
How will this be possible if schools that remain open have to absorb large numbers of students from closed schools? We are experiencing explosive growth in Ottawa-Carleton's technology sector and there is growing interest in living downtown. Does it really make sense to close schools in the downtown core?
The staff report is not recommending Hopewell for closure; however, since its current capacity is at 77%, the options add students to Hopewell's population, which is now at 716. All staff scenarios recommend the closure of Mutchmor, the redirection of Mutchmor kindergarten to grade 6 students to First Avenue, and the redirection of all students in congregated gifted classes from Mutchmor and First Avenue to Hopewell. If this comes to pass, the report estimates that Hopewell will have an operating capacity of 95% (880) students by September 2001.
Flexibility in time-tabling and programming will be lost and community use of school space will decline. It's hard to imagine 880 students managing when it comes to outdoor playground space.
I hope you will get involved in this debate, which is so important to the future of our public education system.
It is the end of another school year and I would like to express thanks to Principal Pat Hendry and Vice-Principal Denise Poirier who make a wonderful administrative team at Hopewell, Nancy Bickford and Catherine Hyde for their leadership as co-chairs of the Hopewell School Council, Joan Spice, Hopewell parent, for co-ordinating the "Central Family" committee, which will respond to the staff recommendations; and to Mayor Jim Watson, City Councillor Inez Berg, Regional Councillor Clive Doucet and MPP Richard Patten for their support when it comes to education matters.
Thanks to all readers for your interest in our schools and students. Have a safe and relaxing summer. Please contact me at any time.
Lynn Graham
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
133 Greenbank Road
Nepean, Ontario, K2H 6L3
Tel: 730-3366 Fax: 730-3589
E-mail: lynn_graham@ocdsb.edu.on.ca