James McQueen PS Public Information Session December 12, 2013 Q & A Q: Would like to see an FI Centre in one school. I have academic concerns with spreading the program out. The consistency of the staff will be an issue. There seems to be a mandate to use schools effectively rather than academic concerns for kids. Why is there not an FI Centre? Jennifer Passy – The Boundary Review process does not allow us to move an entire program out of the school. An Accommodation Review is required to move a program out. We are in the middle of FDK implementation and are dealing with limitations in capacity. There is no need for a new school at this time. Q: You have had four years to do an Accommodation Review, why has it not been done in this time? Jennifer Passy– The timeframe has been a challenge. We have been heavily involved in boundary reviews throughout the jurisdiction. We have been engaged in other communities where FDK has started before 2014. Q: JD Hogarth school council parent – welcome all new students to the school, happy to have them but have concerns about the yard at J.D. Hogarth. On most days we have a black top recess. What do we do now that the black top has been taken away due to the portapack? The field is filled with water. What will we do with the kids? Blair Capling – We have a two year plan for the portapack. We had to make space for it. Gambsy and Mannerow are currently doing a drainage study to look to resolve the water issues on the playfields. Q: The resources are already thin at James McQueen for FI. Won’t the splitting of FI make these resources even thinner? What would it take to drive an Accommodation Review? As parents how do we advocate for an ARC? Superintendent Benallick‐ There are occasions when resources are stretched through this process. The Superintendents are looking closely at resources; we will definitely put money into it. Jennifer Passy – The challenge is there is not enough room for everyone to stay at James McQueen with FDK in September 2014. It takes one year for an Accommodation Review. Q: I will have three kids in three different schools. What considerations are there for these type of situations? Jennifer Passy – We recognize you are not alone in this. Grandparenting was considered by the Committee but we will discuss at our next Boundary Review meeting whether grandparenting should be removed from our implementation plan if feedback suggests it is not preferred. Please provide feedback one way or another. 1 James McQueen PS Public Information Session December 12, 2013 Q & A Q: Is there a teacher or parent representative on his committee? Jennifer Passy– the Principals who act as a resource to the Committee bring forth the school’s feedback to the committee. Q: 30% growth and 16% overall, growth would be even higher if we didn’t have transportation issues and getting moved around so much. What about support staff for FI students? Superintendent Benallick – Through the staffing process there will be greater emphasis on teachers who speak French. C: Teacher for 25 years. Has FI children of her own. FI has suffered due to the moves and the children have suffered. Doesn’t believe FI is a priority with this Board. This is just a further watering down of the FI program. Very adaptable FI teachers but not great support at the Board level. C: Knowing what she knows now, would reconsider having put her child in FI as it is too diluted. Not immersed, no French assemblies. Bilingualism is on the rise. Due to dilution not convinced the students will be fully bilingual. When are you going to fix it? Other locations have FI only schools. C: RT parent from James McQueen – there are only 11 Grade 6 students and 15 Grade 5 students at James McQueen. Moving these kids out really effects their experience as an older student. Why is Victoria Terrace not included? Portable is not in the way, known as ‘cottage kids’, it does not take away from the James McQueen experience. Q: Parent of FI and RT students – transportation nightmares. Huge benefit of FI for kids but they are getting the shaft in terms of bussing issues and missing school time. What can be done to ensure children’s safety and fix this busing issue? Superintendent Wright – At the completion of these Boundary Review processes, Transportation analyzes the routes and develops routing by April. Was not aware that FI students were missing time. The goal of transportation is one road one bus but the different programs can create transportation issues. Q: 5 buses go through Belwood neighbourhood and all end up at John Black transfer point. How do we make sure concerns are being heard? Superintendent Wright – There is a general public email for the Board, you can contact Wellington Dufferin Student Transportation Services directly and they also have email, school principals are another avenue to communicate your concerns. 2 James McQueen PS Public Information Session December 12, 2013 Q & A Q: The FI bus students have had to leave class 10‐15 minutes early for 25 years. How are you going to fix that? Superintendent Wright – We will have to have a discussion with transportation. We will do our best to rectify this for September 2014. C: We want one Centre for FI. The logistics are better, better for transportation. Superintendent Wright– your message has been heard and it will be investigated further. Q: Hasn’t heard any comments about academic, social impact on children when moving locations. You are not taking into account education of children just the bottom dollar. Superintendent Benallick– Transitioning is an area of focus at schools. Supports are put in place through teachers and the Principal when students are transitioning. Q: Doesn’t that concern you? Just build a new school. Jennifer Passy – The challenge is we still have a space in our schools. If you look at total enrolment vs capacity we do not have enough of a gap for a new school. We have to make a case with the Ministry to get funded. Until housing developments advance in Centre Wellington we can’t make that case based on growth and we can’t secure a site. C: Do you not consider new development in your plans? Need to have the school ready in advance of the development instead of waiting. We need to look at a different way of planning at the Board. When JD Hogarth was built it was built too small. With the addition at John Black, that school has become be too big. Please take educational situation seriously. With the transportation issue, it is not just the FI kids but also the RT kids that are disrupted when the FI students are leaving early. Q: Scenario #3 was discarded because of the impact on RT students; why not consider impact on FI students? Jennifer Passy – An objective is to maintain a home school for the regular track students residing in James McQueen attendance area. Q: Is there an aversion to making James McQueen FI Centre? Jennifer Passy ‐ FDK is rolling out across the Board. The Board is undertaking this review, so that all students have a seat in September 2014. We have several reviews going on at once and an FI centre cannot be created through a boundary review. Q: Would the Board consider delaying and doing temporary measures in order to do a full review? Jennifer Passy – The primary objective is to accommodate all students in 2014. 3 James McQueen PS Public Information Session December 12, 2013 Q & A Q: Why do we project to 2022? Does it take into consideration so many FI kids that don’t make it all the way to Grade 8? Jennifer Passy – We have a robust projections software program. It takes in today’s enrolments, new housing, census, and live birth information. We monitor the attrition rate and participation rate and these are factored into our projections. Q: If FI are the only students in one school they are not meeting other students. Splitting of teachers and resources a concern at James McQueen. A lot of primary classes are splits. Would assume that with smaller size classes this could make situation worse. Superintendent Benallick – Staffing depends on the number of children. Q: Cohesiveness of kids – classes are so close. If we split the kids and then they come together in Grade 4, they won’t know each other. Superintendent Benallick – school staff will work to bring kids together and increase cohesiveness C: Realtor in the area for 10 years – sold so many houses recently. There are going to be 1400 houses in the south end, not 200. Need to get the forecasts right. Q: Teacher at a K‐8 school. There is a huge benefit to children who attend the school for K‐8. Increased connections between students and staff. The relationship between students and staff falters if they only have kids for a year or two by chopping up the program. Q: What are the deliverables? When can we expect to see action? Jennifer Passy – A summary of the questions and answers from the meeting will be published. Report #3 will include all of the feedback received, summary of discussion this evening and an implementation plan which will address timing issues. C: Transportation issues/FI Centre – there should be action next to comment and date next to it for commitment. Q: Principals at James McQueen, John Black and JD Hogarth have not been at these schools for a long time. Jennifer Passy – It is a staff committee. Principals bring forth the message from the school. Superintendents who do have more of a history with the schools are also on the committee. Q: Have the Superintendents gone to the school asking teachers? When will we see action items? Jennifer Passy – if appropriate Report 3 will address the action items. Some things, like transportation, won’t be able to be addressed in Report 3, as they are dependent on the outcome of the review. 4 James McQueen PS Public Information Session December 12, 2013 Q & A Q: Busing situation – no supervision at transfer points. High school transfer point – no supervision. Situation where child was left on bus when he should have been transferred by staff. Scott Preston – There are staff supervisors and bus buddies at John Black. Superintendent Wright – Periodic inspections at transfer points are done by the Wellington Dufferin Student Transportation Services. This is another item we will follow up on. Q: Discarding Scenario #3‐ Locals want kids there. How will you ever look to create an FI Centre? Jennifer Passy – We can’t relocate an entire program in the Boundary Review process. Q: When a new school does come will it be the FI Centre? Jennifer Passy – It would be an option. C: We want an Accommodation Review to get an FI centre. Q: Concern about kids living in area of Freshco who will have to walk all the way to JD Hogarth. Jennifer Passy – you can refer to the walking webs displayed at the back of the room to confirm if students are within walking distance or eligible for transportation. Q: Are walking distances different in different Boards? Jennifer Passy – The UGDSB walking distances are the same as the WCDSB. There are different distances in other Boards elsewhere in the province. Q: Tornado drills – what about the students in the portables? There is no room in the halls for all of the students. Superintendent Benallick – Kids would not be left out in the portables. Students can be brought into the school and sit in the hallways and stairwells. Q: What qualifications do Teachers have to possess to teach FI? Superintendent Benallick – FI teachers are required to have minimum French as a second language and other teachables in French. Q: How do we get an Accommodation Review started? Jennifer Passy – this process is by Board staff to the Trustees. Need to delegate to Trustees to get them to direct this process. 5 James McQueen PS Public Information Session December 12, 2013 Q & A Q: Will an Accommodation Review happen? Chair Mark Bailey – There are ten decision makers at the table. You need to convince 6/10 Trustees. Q: Four children in RT program – For one year daughter will be bused, following year she will walk. When will we know bell times? Marni Barrow – currently 8:50am and 3:20pm for JD Hogarth. Bell times will be coordinated between Transportation and the school Principals once a decision is known. Q: Will walking distances be reviewed? Crossing guards? Jennifer Passy – There is no plan at this time to review walking distances. Crossing guards are a responsibility of the Township. Q: Can the Accommodation Review be started immediately? Jennifer Passy – it will become a matter of direction. We need to conclude the Boundary Review process first. C: I have successfully delegated to the Board and recommend it. 6