Frequently Asked Questions are based on feedback received through the Public Information Session and online feedback. Question Quick Reference List April 22, 2015 Questions - RE: New Couling Crescent School Boundary .............. 2 Why is there a delay in getting the site plan approved and the new school built when it is a repeat of the École Arbour Vista PS design? ..................................... 2 How do you generate enrolment projections for French Immersion? ................... 2 Could the Board build a third story on the new Couling Crescent school to address the projected enrolment growth? ............................................................ 2 April 22, 2015 Questions – RE: Couling Crescent School Holding at Tytler PS .... 2 When will a determination be made about the extended day program at Tytler PS?....................................................................................................................... 2 Will the community groups continue to operate out of Tytler PS next year and if so will these users be required to get police checks? ........................................... 3 Can transportation be coordinated between Edward Johnson PS and the Couling Crescent holding school at Tytler PS to keep siblings together? .......................... 3 Will the staff remain the same between the holding school at Tytler PS and the new Couling Crescent school once it opens? ....................................................... 3 Is Tytler PS suitable for accommodating JK-3 students? ..................................... 3 1|Page Frequently Asked Questions are based on feedback received through the Public Information Session and online feedback. April 22, 2015 Questions - RE: New Couling Crescent School Boundary Why is there a delay in getting the site plan approved and the new school built when it is a repeat of the École Arbour Vista PS design? The school board is currently engaged in the City of Guelph’s site plan approval process. Although the school building design is the same as Arbour Vista PS, the Board has to layout the building and the site elements such as parking, driveway accesses and playfields to fit on the Couling property. Once the site plan has been approved, the tendering and construction phase will proceed. How do you generate enrolment projections for French Immersion? The Board’s Planning department utilizes a projection software system that generates an enrolment forecast using several data inputs. This data includes new development housing units and student yield data, historical enrolment by grade and program, and attrition and participation factors. For French Immersion specifically, historical participation by small geographic review areas is analyzed to project participation from new housing developments. As well, trends in attrition by grade from the French Immersion program are analyzed and applied. Could the Board build a third story on the new Couling Crescent school to address the projected enrolment growth? The approved funding for the new school is to construct 495 pupil places, which can be accommodated over two stories. The construction of a third floor is not supported financially, and there are challenges from a building design perspective when a third storey is added. April 22, 2015 Questions – RE: Couling Crescent School Holding at Tytler PS When will a determination be made about the extended day program at Tytler PS? An indicator of viability for an extended day program is 20 JK/SK students. A survey was distributed during kindergarten registration and following the interim boundary decision to affected families and new registrants to determine if there was sufficient interest in extended day care. Interest in extended day did not meet the minimum threshold of 20 students. That said, Board staff is continuing to explore options with a goal to confirm by the end of April whether an extended day program will be available at Tytler PS this September. 2|Page Frequently Asked Questions are based on feedback received through the Public Information Session and online feedback. Will the community groups continue to operate out of Tytler PS next year and if so will these users be required to get police checks? The Two Rivers Neighbourhood Group (TRNG) operated out of the Tytler PS building when it functioned as an elementary school and have remained in the building since June 2012. All Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition staff and volunteers working in the building as part of the TRNG will have criminal background checks and vulnerable sector screenings completed. An early literacy program operates in the Tytler PS building as well, and did so prior to the school closing. 1, 2, 3 Go supports reading for pre-school aged children in the community. A care and treatment program, referred to as Section 23, is also running in the school this year. Section 23 programs serve students who, for a variety of reasons, require their educational needs to be met outside of the regular school system. With the interim accommodation of students at Tytler PS in 2015/16 the Section 23 program will be relocated. Just like many of our school buildings, there are regular community users who utilize the building’s gym and other space during the evenings and weekends. Can transportation be coordinated between Edward Johnson PS and the Couling Crescent holding school at Tytler PS to keep siblings together? Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services are currently working on bus routes to reflect the new walking distances which come into effect in September 2015. More students will qualify for busing. There are issues with the limited loading space around the schools for more buses. Will the staff remain the same between the holding school at Tytler PS and the new Couling Crescent school once it opens? The creation of the interim boundary for the new Couling Crescent school with students holding at Tytler PS in September 2015 allows for the assignment of a Principal and staff. The intent is that students who attend Tytler PS, along with the teachers, office staff and principal, will be the beginning of a new school community that will travel together when the new Couling Crescent school building when it opens, with the exception of retirements and transfers. Is Tytler PS suitable for accommodating JK-3 students? The Tytler building has been regularly inspected and maintained and has continued to be used by the Board and community since its closure. Since it previously operated as an elementary school the accommodations are suitable to accommodate the JK-3 holding 3|Page Frequently Asked Questions are based on feedback received through the Public Information Session and online feedback. students from the interim Couling Crescent school boundary. Only cosmetic touch-ups to the building and yard are required to ready it for September. As well, most of the resources and equipment purchased to support the temporary French Immersion accommodation at Tytler will move to Couling Crescent when that facility is complete. 4|Page