May 8 to May 15, 2013 In order to protect the identity of all individuals who have submitted correspondence with regard to the
Sir Isaac Brock PS Grade 7/8 Feasibility Study and in keeping with the Municipal Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Act, all personal information and/or identifiers have been
severed from all recorded communication (i.e. e-mails and letters) prior to distribution. The intent or
message has not been changed.
May 8, 2013
I want my boys to stay in our community. I do not wish to place my son on a school bus everyday or
have my children seperated prior to grade 8. With the new subdivision being built on Arkell Road in
fall 2013, we can surely fill a school appropriately. SIB is a closely connected school and I want my
children to continue with that sense of culture within our own "backyard". I moved my family to this sub
division for a reason, I have no desire for my kids to be in the Rickson Ridge area.
May 8, 2013
I heard that many of the lunch programs at SIB were suspended this year. Food is a big part of
fundraising at RR and our programs have continued without interruption all year long to the relief of
many parents and kids. We have raised thousands for the school, money that goes directly to
supporting school activities, library and classrooms. Students thrive in well-funded schools. Let future
SIB 7/8's enjoy the rewards and efforts of their predecessors by keeping them at RR.
May 9, 2013
I take exception to the view that I have heard expressed by some, that parents of Sir Isaac Brock PS
students are motivated only by our own convenience and not by the best interests of our children. I
would appeal to everyone to please recognise that we care deeply about our children and are
motivated first and foremost by what we believe to be in their best interests.
It strikes me that the question of what is in our children’s best interests is a question that has an
answer. It is not simply a matter of opinion, regardless of how much we believe our opinion to be true
or how passionately we express it, but rather it is a matter of evidence.
The only argument I have heard put forward against the introduction of grades 7 and 8 at Sir Isaac
Brock PS is that the rotary program currently offered by Rickson Ridge PS would be at risk since it relies
on the resources from the Sir Isaac Brock grades 7 and 8 intakes. This is not a new debate.
Communities and school boards across the country have been debating the pros and cons of a rotary
program versus a traditional program versus a partial rotary program for some time, and the fact is
that there is no evidence to support the view that children who graduate from one of those programs
outperform children from another. It is simply not the case that a rotary program provides better or
worse outcomes for our children.
And even if our two communities (Rickson Ridge PS and Sir Isaac Brock PS) felt strongly enough about
a combined rotary program that we wanted to preserve it, it would make more sense to host it at Sir
Isaac Brock PS where there is both a greater capacity and a higher grade 7 and 8 enrollment. I
1 May 8 to May 15, 2013 would be interested to hear the views of the Rickson Ridge PS community on whether they would be
willing to bus their children to Sir Isaac Brock PS to continue participating in a combined program.
The fact is that there exists no good reason for the Trustees not to implement the recommendations of
the Westminster Woods PS Boundary Review 2008 and make provisions for Sir Isaac Brock PS to
implement grades 7 and 8 in accordance with the overwhelming wishes of our community.
As it stands, Sir Isaac Brock PS is a community divided. We are expected to divide our school, our
families, and our community by sending our grades 7 and 8 children to another school in another
community without any evidence that it is in their interests to do so. We feel strongly that our children
will be better served by a united community, proud in its school and supported by its school board.
All of the evidence suggests that Sir Isaac Brock PS and Rickson Ridge PS are more than capable of
effectively delivering the grades 7 and 8 curriculum to our respective communities and I urge the
Trustees to support our case.
May 9, 2013
I am a parent looking to move in the area and I would consider moving into the Sir Isaac Brock if
would have a grade 7 and 8 if not I have to choose Westminster as I have 4 children and I do not
want them in 3 schools! It would be fantastic if it gets approved!
May 10, 2013
First I would like to thank you for the opportunity to provide commentary. I am a parent of two
children at Rickson Ridge P.S. One is graduating from grade 8 this year and the other in grade 4.
There was typically one class or 2 split classes of each grade until grade 7 when there was the
addition of children from Sir Issac Brock. There was then 3 classes of each grade 7 and 8. This
increase in student population was very welcome for social diversity and development but also for an
opportunity to participate in the rotary program with specialized teachers. When my son entered
grade 7 there was a transition to adjust to the new schedule but by the end of grade 8 it has become
second nature as well as handling an increased workload. I feel that his participation in a rotary
program has made him very prepared for high school and he has been enriched by the educational
and extracurricular experiences over the last 2 years. Should SIB offer grades 7 and 8 it will be very
difficult to run a rotary program at either school, effectively diluting resources at both schools. I feel
concerned for my daughter's preparedness for high school should this be the case.
Intermediate students from both schools deserve the experience of a rotary program and social
diversity in order to prepare them for high school. The current structure is established and works well.
It is my hope that it will remain this way for the benefit of all the involved intermediate students.
May 12, 2013
With this proposed change, the possibility strongly exists of losing vital programs such as music to
both sets of students (SIB and RR), as well as introducing the rotary system which will prepare these
students for a similar system in high school simply for the trade off of not bussing for two years. This is
not a sound justification for limiting the quality of education for our children so that we can (perhaps)
2 May 8 to May 15, 2013 make transportation more convenient for some. If this is the main justification, it seems ridiculous as
the students will have to be bussed to Centennial in grade 9 regardless.
May 13, 2013
As a Rickson Ridge parent,I chose to move to this area for the reputation that Rickson Ridge has. I
feel that a 7/8 program for SIB would not benefit either group of students. Both schools will lose a
critical part of the 7/8 experience, not to mention the money that will be spent on an addition to SIB.
There is enough capacity at Rickson, the 7/8 rotation program is an excellent tool to prepare our
students for high school. The 7/8 program provides the students with a great music program and
teachers that are specialized in the specific courses they were hired to teach.
Neither group of students will win if the board moves forward with 7/8 at SIB. As a graduate of Bishop
McDonell. I was the student that had to run to Silvercreek park for Gym class, get bused to Lourdes
for home economics and shop. I had to run to the Annex up a steep flight of stairs in the winter to a
geography class or history class. I wish I had the luxury to have all the amenities that the other high
schools had, rather then all the hassle I had to endure to have access to regular curriculum. Taking
away the rights of our 7/8 students to have access to specialized teachers, a simulated high school
rotation, access to the extra curricular and be prepped for high school should not be up for
discussion. Why are we even wasting our time discussing this. keeping the program status quo is the
right thing to do.
May 14, 2013
Why does the SIB community continue to have to make sacrifices?
I chose to live in the Pineridge neighborhood close to the old Brock Road school (there was no school
on the books for Rickson) however suddenly kids were bussed to Kortright while proposed renovations
to the old school were ultimately canned and the new SIB location was chosen. School population
grows to 800+ students with both an extension and 9 portables. Great principals and staff create an
awesome environment despite the size and crowding!! To accommodate south end population
boom, the Westminster woods school is built (K-8!!). Has RR ever been at or near to capacity? Why
was the school built and what were the enrollment projections?
So to accommodate growth the WW school is built, SIB loses great teachers, portables pulled from
yard (and never landscaped - come see the mud that is still there) and no more VP at the school. 7/8
boundary review delayed. SIB readjusts to its smaller size but no 7/8 sees SIB lose kids to brand new
local catholic K-8 school. SIB has empty classrooms and still does. Despite the challenges SIB
continues to be a great school.
I recently attended an incoming grade 7 parent’s night at Rickson where teachers extolled their great
program (which I don't doubt)– mentioning the enrichment the younger grades get from having a 7-8
program in the school. As well RR 7-8 teachers say they
communicate with the lower grade teachers for continuity of their curriculum. SIB kids come into a
school with that disadvantage – I have already seen that with a previous child. Communication to
incoming grade 7’s and families has been limited historically. Parent teacher interviews at RR are
hard when you don’t know the school, or the teachers and you only get 15 minutes to speak to 3
3 May 8 to May 15, 2013 teachers or some of the teachers don’t show up. Unless a parent is diligent then its easy for teachers
and principals to be faceless to the 7/8 parents. Parents can’t volunteer to 2 school councils. Twice
the fundraising is expensive for families.
The benefits to expanding the K-6 to a K-8 program - more music in the school, leadership
opportunities, sports program opportunities will come with a 7/8 program at SIB. There are definite
issues with the changes that will impact RR. But why do SIB kids (2/3 of the RR 7/8 population) have
to pay with bussing (frequently late busses), no extracurricular outside school hours (unless you commit
to picking up your child – not easy for parents), making the transition twice, not getting the enrichment
the RR K-6's get? Both schools could be run with partial rotary and shared resource teachers?
Westminster woods 7/8 program is doing well and it would be a similar size.
If the RR catchment area is too small to support the school then let’s get that included in this
discussion. How many empty classes are there at RR? Can the loss of students to the catholic system
be quantified – I know it is happening. What are the enrollment number projections for Westminster
Woods? I don’t know it’s fair to say that SIB has declining enrollment when 2 public and 2 catholic
schools have been built in the south end since SIB was built and SIBs catchment area has be redrawn.
These new schools are K-8 so why is SIB the exception?
May 15, 2013
First of all, on the form there should be an option for a parent of both schools, which I am. Obviously
both Rickson and SIB parents are very passionate about their side of the issue. We all want what is
best for our children. Unfortunately, it feels as though this issue has become a battle between
schools; about which one is better. I have kids at both schools and they are both great schools with
great teachers. Whatever the outcome is, that will not change.
I am 100% in favor of the rotary system at Rickson, however I have other concerns. The first being,
the benefit of the transition both emotionally and socially. They would miss out on a great opportunity
by not transitioning over to Rickson at this crucial point in their development.
I don’t think kids who have gone through this transition have had problems with it, as much as SIB
parents anticipate. I feel the majority of SIB parents are concerned about it for their own personal
reasons of convenience and fear of change, and are not thinking of it from their child’s perspective.
Instead of focusing on the ‘fear of the unknown’ of SIB parents, why not focus on children who have
been through the transition and their positive experience. This is about the kids, not about the
parents. True, the transition may be scary at first. Before my child was at Rickson, I myself was unsure
of the transition. After having now been through it, I am 100% in favor of it. Not only for academic
reasons and the rotary system, but my child’s emotional and social development is what I am most
impressed with. He has a new self-confidence and independence as a result of this transition. It is a
similar transition to the one they have to make going to high school; but only on a smaller scale. It is
nothing but a positive experience to help in their growth and maturity.
Some of the SIB parents are concerned with not being able to walk with their kids; parents will not
necessarily be hanging out on the playground with their kids after school anymore by the time they
reach these intermediate ages. SIB parents may also be concerned that they do not know families in
the Rickson area; there is nothing stopping them from getting involved at Rickson and getting to know
the teachers and parents. Not everyone at SIB walks; for SIB students already being bused to SIB;
how is the transition to busing to Rickson any different? These are all concerns affecting the parents;
let’s remember this issue is about the kids.
The majority of grade 6 kids, if asked what they wanted, would mostly be concerned that they would
be with their friends. When they all go to Rickson for grade 7, they are going together with their SIB
4 May 8 to May 15, 2013 friends and will have the opportunity to meet new people, to have a greater source of companionship
when entering high school. Of course, fears and concerns of the grade 6’s can be made worse by
parent opinion. Let’s focus on what the children can learn through the experience of facing the
challenge and overcoming it. Their sense of community is expanded to include more peers a few
years earlier so that high school may be less intimidating; how can that be a bad thing.
Unfortunately, the majority of parents that no longer have kids at SIB but have gone through Rickson
are not speaking up about this issue since it does not affect them. It is truly an issue about the
experience of going through this transition, they should be the ones to ask; not the SIB parents w
ho have young children at SIB and who cannot imagine how this transition could actually be
beneficial to their children.
Not only is the transition positive for the 7 & 8’s, but the grade 6’s at SIB also benefit by allowing
them to take on leadership roles earlier on, instead of waiting until they reach grade 8.
My second concern is about numbers; both enrollment and financial. As much as SIB parents would
like to have the school be K-8, it doesn’t make sense to take kids out of Rickson if that means that the
school will be left underutilized. The school was built specifically to accommodate grade 7 & 8’s with
lockers, change rooms and specialized class rooms (ie. science lab and wood working shop). With so
many variables in question (ie. new schools and new residential development), it is very difficult to
predict what student numbers will be in a few years. It seems, a decision based on student enrollment,
may not be wise at this time.
As well, the costs of renovations at SIB to accommodate 7 & 8’s would surely outweigh the savings of
only 2 buses not being needed anymore.
Lastly, SIB parents threaten to send their kids to the local Catholic school for 7 & 8 to keep them
closer to home. This is a choice of convenience over education. I myself am Catholic, went to
Catholic school all my life, and my kids are baptized Catholic. Yet I still choose the public school
system since through my own experience I realized how much time is spent on religious studies and
services during school time. That time would be better used for other subjects since it is hard enough
to fit in, all the curriculum, in a school year as it is. It is not a debate over which school system is
better. Of course it is a preference. However, if religion was that important to an SIB family, they
would have gone to the Catholic school in the first place. Switching to it now, is a choice made for
the wrong reasons.
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