Bluewater school board making major changes to schools in Owen Sound area

The Bluewater District School Board is making major changes to schools in the Owen Sound area.

Following an extensive accommodation review, including a six-month consultation process, the board agreed at its regular meeting, April 19, to close several schools over the next two years, and turn the Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute (OSCVI) into a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 school.

The following recommendations were approved by the board:
 

• OSCVI students be consolidated with West Hill Secondary School students on the site of the current West Hill Secondary School for the 2016-17 school year, effective September, 2016; and OSCVI be renovated to accommodate Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 programming, commencing with the 2017-18 year.
• Bayview Public School and Sydenham Community School be closed effective June 30, 2017; and the elementary programs, including French lmmersion, be re-located to the renovated OSCVI facility, commencing September, 2017.
• Dufferin Elementary School be closed effective June 30, 2017; and the students be re-located to Hillcrest Elementary School and Keppel-Sarawak Elementary School, commencing September, 2017, based on adjusted boundaries (as per Report AR 2015.16-02a Appendix ll) and available school capacity for out of boundary requests (as per Administrative Procedure AP 6212-D).
• Derby Public School be closed effective June 30, 2016; and the students be re-located to Arran Tara Elementary School, Hillcrest Elementary School, and Hepworth Central Public School, commencing September, 2016, based on adjusted boundaries (as per Report AR 2015.16-02a Appendix II) and available school capacity for out of boundary requests (as per Administrative Procedure AP 6212-D).
• That a plan be presented to the Policy Standing Committee regarding the possible reduction of Owen Sound urban walk distances for secondary students.
• That a business case be submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Education to seek funding for a secondary school to replace the Owen Sound secondary school (to be named) to meet the future enrollment expectations in the Owen Sound area.
• That a business case be submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Education to seek funding for an elementary school to replace Hillcrest Elementary School to meet future enrollment expectations.

“While this consolidation signals the end of an era for those schools that will close, we are confident that each of their unique histories will be preserved as new school communities begin new traditions of excellence," says Bluewater board chairman Ron Motz. "It is the people, not bricks and mortar, who define a school community. We hope that families and the community will join us in embracing these changes and the many positive program and learning opportunities that they will generate for our students for years to come.”

“We truly appreciate the many ideas and perspectives that emerged during this accommodation review process," says superintendent of education Jean Stephenson. "The input we received throughout the process has helped us to arrive at what we feel is the best possible solution to ensure viable and enhanced program pathways for all our students in the Owen Sound area.”

“The uniting of these two exemplary secondary schools will provide amazing program and extracurricular opportunities for all of our students," says West Hill principal Lucy Hilts. "Combining the staff expertise, students and school communities will serve us well into the future.”

“We are very excited to be part of the creation of a new school in Owen Sound that will serve the needs of all the students of our area, while honouring significant historical contributions,” says OSCVI principal Matt Pickett.

Next steps will be determined as outlined in the board’s procedure (AP 3302-D) for ‘School Openings, Amalgamations and Closures’, which can be found in the Policies and Procedures section of the board website. This will include the establishment of a School Operations Committee to oversee transition activities, build community, and monitor the well-being of students and staff affected by the consolidation. The committee will communicate with stakeholders regularly to ensure students, their families and staff have the most positive transition experience possible.

To view the Final Staff Report and other information regarding the Accommodation Review – Owen Sound Area Group of Schools, visit the 2015-16 Accommodation Reviews section of the board website: www.bwdsb.on.ca