TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD
SCHOOL UTILIZATION STUDY
PART II
Prepared by:
Gunn’s Leadership Consulting Services
March 2, 2010
Tri-County Regional School Board
School Utilization Study
Part II
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Immersion at Barrington Municipal High School (BMHS)………………
3
Early French Immersion at Plymouth School ……………………..…….
3
Arcadia Consolidated School ……………..………………………………..
5
Lockeport Regional High School (LRHS)…………….……………………
8
Islands Consolidated School (ICS)……………...…………………………
13
Digby Neck Elementary School (DNES)...................................... 15
Maple Grove Education Centre (MGEC)
and Meadowfields Community School (MCS)………….........
16
2
Tri-County Regional School
School Utilization Study
Part II
This School Utilization Study has been carried out and reported in 2 parts. The Part I
Report was received by the Tri-County Regional School Board at its monthly meeting on
February 2, 2010. The background to the Study is presented in the Part I Report. As
indicated then, more time was needed to carry out further analysis on the delivery of
French Immersion and on the utilization of several schools not referenced in Part I.
Immersion at Barrington Municipal High School (BMHS)
The Part I report included a conclusion that Early Immersion at Evelyn Richardson
Memorial Elementary School (ERMES) should be discontinued because of the very low
enrolments. A follow-up note is provided here about the effects of this on the Immersion
programs at Barrington Municipal High School----the students of ERMES attend BMHS
after Grade 6.
Not offering Early Immersion at ERMES would affect Immersion at BMHS in at least 2
ways. Most obviously, it would no longer be necessary to combine Early Immersion with
Late Immersion in the same classrooms. This year, the Early Immersion class in Grade
7 (4 students) is combined with the Late Immersion class (15 students). This combined
class will have to continue through Grade 8 and 9. Given the very small enrolments
presently at ERMES, other combined classes will be required in the next few years.
Generally speaking and without getting into a detailed explanation, combining Early
Immersion and Late Immersion classes is not advisable. It may be the best or only
option in some unique circumstances, but it surely adds complexity and a potential for
difficulties compared to delivering Early and Late Immersion in separate classes.
The second effect on the Immersion program at BMHS may become evident over the
next few years. If Early Immersion is discontinued at ERMES, it is reasonable to expect
that the enrolments in the Late Immersion at BMHS will increase. When parents no
longer have the choice of Early Immersion, they may choose Late Immersion when their
children start Grade 7. The enrolments in Late Immersion at BMHS are such that 10 to
15 students could be added in each class.
Early French Immersion at Plymouth School
As indicated in Part I, Plymouth School has a relatively high percentage of its students
enrolled in Early Immersion. This year, 54% of the students in Grade P-6 are in
Immersion and this percentage has been consistent from year-to-year. For example, in
the previous 2 school years, the percentages of the P-6 students in Immersion were 52%
and 50%. Plymouth School serves a predominantly Francophone population and most
of the families who choose Early Immersion meet the entitlement requirements for
enrolment in a CSAP school. There is no Early Immersion in Grade 7 -9 because the
Immersion students transfer in Grade 7 to Ecole secondaire Par-en-Bas under the
jurisdiction of the Conseil scholaire acadien provincial (CSAP).
The reason for raising a concern about Immersion in this school is related to the very
small class sizes in both the Immersion and English programs. The elementary grade
classes are small in both English and Immersion. This year, the enrolments per grade in
3
both, range from 6 to 11 (except in the case of 16 in Grade 6 Immersion). This means
that combined classes are necessary in all grades and for both English and Immersion
(except for the one case).
According to the 5-year enrolment history in Table 1, the total enrolment of Plymouth
School dropped quickly by 24% since the previous school year, but the decline over the
previous 4 years is 4%. This sudden decline was significant because 5 families moved
out the area and several families transferred to a neighboring school.
Table 1: 5-Year Enrolment History, Plymouth School
2005-06
232
2006-07
229
2007-08
217
2008-09
222
2009-10
168
The 10-year history in Table 2 for the Grade Primary enrolments confirms a fairly
consistent enrolment since 2003-04, except for this year.
Table 2: 10-Year History Grade Primary Enrolment, Plymouth School
00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09
29
29
31
24
27
21
18
21
23
09-10
15
It is very difficult to project the enrolment of this school accurately because of the recent
rapid decline and the fact that students may transfer out of the school in significant
numbers each year to access Immersion at Drumlin Heights Consolidated School or the
French program at Ecole secondaire Par-en-Bas. At the very least in terms of a general
projection, it seems reasonable to predict that the enrolment will show some decline over
the next 5 years, depending on the number of transfers to the neighboring schools.
On the surface, one obvious conclusion about the very small Grade P-6 class sizes is
that the classes would be a more manageable size and combined classes would be
unnecessary if Early Immersion was not offered at the school. But a closer look
uncovers a complication caused by the fact that most of the families of the Immersion
students are entitled to a Francophone education under the jurisdiction of the Conseil
scholaire acadien provincial.
If Immersion was no longer offered at Plymouth School, in all likelihood most of the
families would send their children to Ecole secondaire Par-en-Bas in Grade Primary,
instead of Grade 7 as they do now. A decision to discontinue Early Immersion at
Plymouth School would very likely result in a loss of about half of the Grade P-6 students
in the school.
Financially, if 60 students transferred to the CSAP, then the TCRSB would lose
$300,000 to $500,000 in provincial revenue, eventually, depending on how the funding
formula is applied. Under the present arrangement, a loss of revenue due to declining
enrolment is gradual over a few years because of what is called a “declining enrolment”
factor.
Not only would the TCRSB lose a significant amount of revenue if the Immersion
students transferred, combined classes would still be required in the English classes at
Plymouth School. Also, the total enrolment of the P-6 Grades in the school would be
4
reduced by about half. A decision to discontinue Early Immersion would not address the
concern constructively.
The following conclusion is based on the information presented above with particular
weight given to the rather unique circumstance that over 50% of the Grade P-6 students,
most of whom are from entitled francophone families, normally enroll in Early Immersion.
Conclusion 1
If the enrolment of Plymouth School declines significantly over the next few years, some
difficult decisions may be necessary, but under the present circumstances, cancelation
of the Early Immersion program cannot be justified.
Plymouth School is given more attention in the next section because of its close
proximity to Arcadia Consolidated School.
Arcadia Consolidated School
Arcadia Consolidated School (ACS) is a Grade P-6 elementary school with an enrolment
of 244. Its 5-year enrolment history is provided in Table 3.
Table 3: 5-Year Enrolment History, ACS
2005-06
252
2006-07
243
2007-08
238
2008-09
245
2009-10
244
As evident from the data, the enrolment has been quite stable over the past 5 years. It
has declined by only 3%, compared to 14% for the school system over the same period.
This stability is confirmed from another perspective. The average Grade Primary
enrolment for the past 5 years is 33 (with a range from 29 to 41) and 41 is this year’s
enrolment. Based on this historical data, it is reasonable to expect that the enrolment of
ACS will decline very little, if at all, over the next 5 years.
An elementary school with an enrolment the size of Arcadia Consolidated should have
no problem in ensuring that the programs and student services are delivered effectively
and efficiently, without the restrictions or inflexibility experienced by much smaller
schools.
If this is the case and the enrolment is stable, why is this school singled out in this study?
It must be emphasized that no evidence whatsoever was found to indicate a problem
with the delivery of the program and student services. The concern is not educational in
nature. The concern lies strictly with the facility.
Arcadia Consolidated celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. It is an old building.
Based on a building condition study by the MacDonnell Group in 2003 and on the
professional opinion of board staff now, the estimated cost of the needed repairs and
preventative maintenance is in the range of $400,000 to $500,000. Although there is no
sense of urgency about major repairs, replacement of the heating system, some
windows and the exterior doors should be included in the capital maintenance plan of
the board over the next few years.
5
There is one urgent matter in terms of a major capital addition to the facility. A new
gymnasium is necessary to enable the school to deliver the full educational program as it
should be. A rough estimate of cost lies in the area of $2,000,000.00. The school and its
community have been putting forward a strong case for a new gymnasium for many
years now.
Another property upgrade concern is noteworthy. There is a problem with congestion of
bus, vehicular and pedestrian traffic in accessing the school that cannot be solved
easily.
The obvious solution under normal circumstances when a school of this size needs
repair and renovation is to include the school in the capital improvement plan of the
school board and province. But in the case of Arcadia Consolidated, a unique
circumstance has been a stumbling block.
Plymouth School borders on Arcadia Consolidated School and is located less than 5
Kilometers away. As a facility, it had a major upgrade 11 years ago which included a
new gymnasium. The school has a capacity of 300 students and its enrolment has been
about 220 in recent years, except for this school year. With its present enrolment of less
than 200, Plymouth School is underutilized.
This circumstance raises the question about whether or not Arcadia Consolidated should
be closed and at least some of its students be housed at Plymouth School. If the Early
Immersion remains at Plymouth School, then only about 100 students could be added.
The other 150 Arcadia students would have to be accommodated elsewhere.
One option to create more space at Plymouth School would be to change its
configuration to P-6 and have the junior high students (43 this year) attend Drumlin
Heights Consolidated School instead. This would help some, but still it would not be
possible to house all the Arcadia students at Plymouth School. About 100 would have to
be housed elsewhere.
The other neighboring school for Arcadia Consolidated will be the newly configured P-8
school in Yarmouth. The enrolment projected for this new configuration when
completion of the renovations is expected is about 450 for P-8 with 300 in P-6. Adding
another 100 or 150 students from Arcadia Consolidated would be possible only if
another 4 or 6 classrooms are added in the planned renovation. This would add a
significant amount to the cost of the renovation; easily over $1,000,000 and possibly as
much as $2,000,000.
Other factors are important in this discussion. The catchment areas of Arcadia
Consolidated and Plymouth School are very large. To have the elementary students in
the combined area attend either Plymouth School or the P-8 in Yarmouth would create
an extraordinarily large catchment area for young children and their families. It would be
especially large for the families from the ACS catchment area who live in the
communities a long distance from the Town of Yarmouth.
From a strictly numerical analysis of enrolment data and available classroom space,
Arcadia Consolidated School could be closed and its students could be dispersed to one
of 3 schools---the P-8 in Yarmouth, Drumlin Heights Consolidated and Plymouth School.
But a major financial benefit in terms of operating cost should not be expected for a
6
couple of reasons, aside from the added capital cost of adding 4-6 classrooms in the P-8
renovation in Yarmouth. The likelihood of revenue being lost when Immersion students
transfer to CSAP and the loss of the property services, “square footage” revenue through
the closure of the school would diminish any overall financial advantage to the TCRSB.
Furthermore, it is reasonable to expect that a detailed analysis of the student
transportation requirements would show little advantage, if any, because of the necessity
of transporting the Plymouth junior high students to Drumlin Consolidated and
transporting the ACS students to Plymouth and Yarmouth.
For the purposes of this discussion, it seems sufficient to observe that achieving a major
financial benefit to the TCRSB by closing Arcadia Consolidated, in terms of annual
operating cost, is questionable. The amount of any financial benefit would require a
detailed analysis. Such an analysis has not been carried out by this consultant because
of the position taken below.
Another very important variable has nothing to do with finances. Arcadia Consolidated
School has served its community for over 50 years, it is located centrally in its
community, and, like most well-established elementary schools, it enjoys very strong
support from its families and community. Its enrolment is more than adequate to ensure
efficient program delivery and it is one of the few relatively stable enrolments in the
school system.
The opinion of this consultant, based on professional experience, is that any school with
the enrolment and circumstances of Arcadia Consolidated will not be closed or
amalgamated by a school board, unless the schools being considered will be housed in
a new facility. If amalgamation in a new facility is not the reason, considerations of
closing particular schools have resulted in actual closures only when a definite risk to the
effective delivery of the educational programs and student services was clearly evident,
a better educational alternative was available and no mitigating circumstances required
that the schools be kept open. Arcadia Consolidated does not fit this description or the
circumstances.
The following conclusions are based on the factors explained above.
Conclusion 1
Arcadia Consolidated School should not be identified to be considered for closure
through the School Review process.
Conclusion 2
A major capital expenditure is necessary whether Arcadia Consolidated is upgraded to a
modern-day standard or the newly renovated P-8 school in Yarmouth has to be
expanded to accommodate the students of ACS if it is closed. Rather than consider
ACS for closure, the TCRSB should give high priority in its long-term capital plan to the
addition of a new gymnasium at ACS.
7
Lockeport Regional High School (LRHS)
Lockeport Regional High School and Lockeport Elementary School are located on the
same site and are operated under the authority of one principal. The high school has
been singled out for analysis in this study because of its relatively low enrolment which
has declined recently.
The specific question addressed is this: Given that the senior high enrolment of LRHS is
less than 100 and declining, should the Grade 10, 11 and 12 be transferred to Shelburne
Regional High School (SRHS)?
The question raised here is about the future of the senior high grades of LRHS. The
professional opinion of this consultant is that the risks and negative impact of a declining
enrolment are more serious for high schools than they are for junior high schools. In this
analysis, it is assumed that at least the Grade 7 and 8 students would remain at
Lockeport High and be combined eventually with the elementary grades in a Grade P-8
configuration in one facility. A Grade P-9 configuration would be another option, with the
Grade 10-12 students transferring to SHRS.
Shelburne High is 5 years old. Not only does it meet the facility requirements of a
modern-day high school, but also it has sufficient classroom space to take in all the
senior high students of LRHS.
Generally speaking, when 2 smaller high schools can be combined, educational
advantages and operational efficiencies can be expected. The educational advantages
are related primarily to a greater flexibility in matching teacher qualifications and interest
to teaching assignments and in being able to offer a wider selection of high school
courses. Also, the potential to provide alternate high school programs is greater
because of the larger number of students. The operational or administrative efficiencies
are generally related to “economies of scale” and usually lead to some minor reductions
in annual operating cost primarily because of the more effective assignment of staff
allocations.
But the potential benefits to students of combining 2 smaller high schools must be
weighed against a potential loss of the benefits offered by the schools as they are
operating presently.
This analysis of the Lockeport Schools is based on quite a number of consultations,
including a public meeting at LRHS last spring. Various discussions occurred with the
Lockeport Principal and Vice-Principals, the Chair of the SAC, the Principal of Shelburne
Regional High School, numerous regional office staff, the Lockeport Town Clerk and the
Coordinator of Lockeport’s Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP). In addition,
the consultant reviewed the Lockeport Revitalization Event Report, 2009, and a
viability/governance study of the Town of Lockeport and area completed by Richard G.
Ramsay Management Consultants Inc. in 2005.
The Enrolment
LRHS has the second lowest Grade 10-12 enrolment in the school system---Islands
Consolidated School (ICS) has the lowest. This year, the senior high enrolment of LRHS
is almost three times that of ICS---87 compared to 33. (The future of ICS is addressed
later in this paper.)
8
The enrolment of Lockeport Elementary (LES) is especially relevant in this analysis
because it is the only school which feeds into LRHS. Its 5-year enrolment history is
presented in Table 4.
Table 4: 5-Year Enrolment History Lockeport Elementary School
Grade P-6
2005-06
139
2006-07
120
2007-08
127
2008-09
109
2009-10
109
The enrolment of LES declined by 28% since 2005, but it increased to 120 in 2007 and
then dropped back to the same figure of 109 for the last 2 years.
Lockeport Elementary School became a P-6 school in 2003-04 when it was
amalgamated with Ragged Island Elementary School. Table 5 reports the Grade
Primary enrolment since 2003. The Grade Primary enrolments prior to 2003 in Ragged
Island Elementary were consistently above 20. Obviously, a significant drop occurred in
2004, but some stability appears in the data since then.
Table 5: 7-Year Enrolment History, Grade Primary, Lockeport Elementary School
2003-04
27
2004-05
15
2005-06
13
2006-07
9
2007-08
18
2008-09
15
2009-10
16
The projection in Table 6 simply carries forward the present enrolments in each Grade,
assuming that no families will move away from or move to the area, and assuming a
Grade Primary enrolment of 15 in each of the next 5 years.
Table 6: 5-Year Enrolment Projection, LES
2010-11
110
2011-12
99
2012-13
91
2013-14
106
2014-15
107
If the projected elementary enrolment proves to have stabilized, this stability will carry
forward into the high school in the subsequent years.
Table 7 reports the 5-year enrolment history for LRHS. The enrolment has declined by
16% over the past 5 years, but it has not declined steadily from year to year. The most
significant decline occurred last year.
Table 7: 5-Year Enrolment History Lockeport Regional High School
Junior High
Senior High
Total
2005-06
93
82
175
2006-07
89
85
174
2007-08
76
87
163
2008-09
68
90
158
2009-10
60
87
147
The total enrolment of LRHS in 1996-97 was 161 (earliest accessible data) and in 200001 it was 168. The 14-year average since 1996-97 is 164. It dropped to 154 in 1992000, increased to 175 in 2003-04, and dropped back to 158 last year. Interestingly and
perhaps importantly, the average of the past 5 years is also 164.
As evident in Table 7, the senior high enrolment remained very stable over the past 5
years, whereas the junior high enrolment shows the decline---as expected from the
elementary school data. This means that the Grade 10-12 enrolment and the Grade 7-
9
12 total can be expected to decline more over the next 5 years, because of the junior
high numbers. If the elementary school data stabilizes at the projected levels, the total
enrolment of LRHS will eventually decline to somewhere in the range of 90-110.
Although the future enrolment projection is a concern, several other factors were
weighed carefully in coming to a conclusion. Pages could be written on each one but, in
the interest of brevity, they are summarized without detailed explanations in the following
paragraphs.
Student Transportation
The catchment areas of both SRHS and LRHS are very large, so if they were combined,
an extremely large area would be created, at least by Nova Scotia standards. The
schools are 28 Kilometers apart, but it is their outlying areas to the west and east that
make the long bus rides for students. The Board’s Coordinator of Transportation
provided data and observations for this analysis.
Presently, the longest bus ride is for a LRHS student from West Port L’Herbert who
travels 41 Kms. in 56 minutes. If the LRHS students were transferred to SRHS with only
minor modifications to the bus routes, the longest bus ride would be 1 hour and 35
minutes; the next longest would be 1 hour and 20 minutes.
From the financial perspective, combining the two high schools and making only minor
modifications to the bus routes would require at least 3 additional buses, 4 more
realistically. There is little room to achieve efficiencies because the elementary and
junior high students would still have to be transported to Lockeport, with the high school
students being transported to Shelburne. The total additional transportation cost would
be about $70,000 annually.
If the start and dismissal times of SRHS, Hilcrest Academy, Lockeport Elementary and
the junior high on LRHS were adjusted, a major rescheduling of the bus runs might
reduce the number of additional buses required, and therefore the additional cost. It
might be possible to operate with only 1 additional bus and savings in fuel because of
shorter distances travelled might cover the cost of the additional bus.
Delivery of the Program and Student Services
The predominant, educational challenge for staffs of small high schools, such as LRHS,
is to be able to deliver the minimum course requirements and student services defined in
the Public School Program with the courses delivered by suitably qualified teachers. A
small staff of even the most highly qualified, experienced professionals can be “stretched
thin” in trying to meet the many expectations of curricular and extra-curricular programs.
Presently, there is no evidence that the courses and services are not being delivered as
they should be and by a well-qualified teaching staff. Also, the extra-curricular program
seems to be very strong. The relatively young staff seems highly committed to the
school for the long term and no problem with teacher turnover from year to year is
anticipated. It is not as if LRHS was once a larger school and is now experiencing
detrimental effects of a declining enrolment. It has operated effectively as a small high
school for many years.
The Relationship with the Community of Lockeport and Area
All schools boast of a strong, supportive relationship with its community and most can.
In the case of Lockeport High, it is an understatement to say that it enjoys a very strong
10
relationship of mutual support with its community, especially with the Town of Lockeport.
At least two reasons are apparent to explain this relationship.
The first reason is related to the geography of the school’s catchment area. At least by
Nova Scotia standards, the Town and the broader community of the school are quite
isolated or remote in relation to the nearest communities. The following particular
sentiment is commonly expressed, overtly or implicitly, in most discussions about the
area: The isolation or remoteness of the “Lockeport triangle” or “Lockeport loop”, has
contributed to a sense of independence from the neighboring communities, or a sense of
relative self-sufficiency. The Town of Lockeport, located on Locke Island and connected
by a causeway, lies at the bottom of a triangle with the communities of Jordan Falls and
Sable River on the other corners. The triangle is bounded on two sides by rivers and is
quite distant from the Town of Shelburne on the west and the Town of Liverpool on the
east. In some areas of Nova Scotia, towns and good-sized villages lie so close to one
another that it is not easy to know when one has passed from one to the other.
Definitely, this is not the case for the Town of Lockeport or the Lockeport triangle.
The second reason to explain the strong, mutually supportive relationship between the
Lockeport schools and their community is related to the fact that LRHS is one of the
largest community facilities in the Town and indeed the whole catchment area of the
school. The school gymnasium and playing fields are commonly used by the school and
the Town. LRHS has been described as the social, recreational and cultural centre of
the community and the extra-curricular programs of music, drama and sports have surely
benefited over many years because of this sharing of the facilities.
Three particular examples of a direct benefit from the relationship are noteworthy. The
first example is that a new performance centre is being built next to the school to serve
the school and the community. The second is that LRHS and the Town of Lockeport
hosted the “Lockeport Revitalization Event”, in October of 2009, as a step in developing
its Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ISCP). The ISCP, an initiative of the Town
in partnership with the Nova Scotia Community College, has been established to expand
sustainability into a revitalization of the community.
The third direct benefit is an exciting new program for the school and may be the first of
its kind in Nova Scotia. Lockeport Regional High has been formally accepted as a
participant in the “UNESCO Associated Schools Project”. The United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) supports over 7000
educational institutions in 171 countries. As a participating school in the Associated
Schools Project Network (ASPnet), the students and teachers have opportunities to work
together to develop innovative educational approaches, methods and materials from the
local to global level. The biggest project underway now at LRHS is the construction of a
green house. A number of groups are or will be involved in the project including the
environmental club, the Junior High Science, Technology Education and Family Studies
classes, and the 02 Program. Also a number of community groups will be involved and
local businesses will help with the construction, electrical and concrete work.
The Future Stability of Lockeport
Like many other towns and communities in Nova Scotia and beyond, Lockeport has tried
to respond actively and positively to the economic downturn and changing situation for
industry and commerce. It has given high priority to developing its Integrated
Community Sustainability Plan (ISCP) and, through this plan, to seeking ways to
11
diversify industrially and commercially. The Clearwater Plant and Allendale Electronics
continue to be the major industrial presence along with the traditional fishing industry,
but tourism is being promoted with a real potential to add commercial value. From a
tourism perspective, the location and local geography of Lockeport provides a definite
advantage to be tapped, especially in combination with the rural, coastal life style that
the community is able to promote.
Another piece of evidence speaks to the potential for future stability of the Lockeport
community. As referenced earlier in this section, Richard G. Ramsay Management
Consultants Inc. carried out a viability/governance study of the Town of Lockeport and
area in 2005. The intention of the study was to determine if Lockeport has the capacity
to maintain Town status into the future and if an effective governance system is in place
to sustain this status. Overall, the conclusion of the study was positive in response to
the first question and suggestions were offered to make improvements to ensure
sustainability.
In Summary
The following points were considered carefully in answering the question at hand:
 The declining enrolment gives reasons to be concerned, especially if it does not
stabilize in the next few years. But the data suggests that stability will come
although the high school enrolment will be lower.
 Combining LRHS and SRHS is possible in terms of the space available in a
modern facility and would result in educational advantages, operational
efficiencies and financial savings.
 Longer travel distances for students and families would be a definite
disadvantage and, therefore, should be viewed as a strong mitigating factor in
any consideration of combining the high schools.
 Even with a major restructuring of the school and student transportation
schedules, it would be difficult to avoid an additional financial cost.
 The culture and life style of the Town of Lockeport and the communities in the
Lockeport loop reflect an independence and self-sufficiency most likely shaped
by the relative remoteness of the geography.
 A long history of a strong, mutually supportive relationship between Lockeport
Regional High School and the Town of Lockeport continues to create tangible
advantages to both the School and the Town.
 LRHS has operated successfully as a small high school for many years and
continues to do so. Staff, students, and families seem to be strongly committed
to their School and to making it work.
 The Town of Lockeport is actively fostering an atmosphere or attitude of optimism
and hope for the future.
Conclusion 1
There may come a time and urgency when a very small high school enrolment forces a
careful consideration of amalgamating Lockeport Regional High School with Shelburne
Regional High School. Under the circumstances described above, this is not the time
nor is there any urgency. In fact, given the signs of possible stabilization for the school
enrolment and the future of the Lockeport Town and area, it would be untimely and
detrimental to recommend that amalgamation be considered now.
12
Islands Consolidated School (ICS)
The enrolment of ICS this year is 116 in Grades Primary to Grade 12. Table 8 provides
a 5-year enrolment history for the elementary, junior high and senior high grades.
Table 8: 5-Year Enrolment History, ICS
Grade P-6
Grade 7-9
Grade10-12
Total
2005-06
48
45
44
137
2006-07
56
38
53
147
2007-08
56
35
49
140
2008-09
46
35
40
121
2009-10
53
30
33
116
Although the total enrolment has declined over the past 5 years, as have the totals for
the junior high and senior high grades, the elementary enrolment has not. As in the
case of the Lockeport schools, this stability in Grade P-6 may carry forward to the
secondary grades over the next 5 to 10 years.
Table 9: 10-Year History Grade Primary Enrolment, ICS
00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07
6
8
9
6
5
10
12
07-08
5
08-09
7
09-10
11
According to Table 9, the Grade Primary enrolments have varied noticeably over the
past 10 years, but a trend of decline is not evident. Going back further to the first
accessible data in 1996-97, the Grade Primary enrolments for the 4 school years, 199697 to 1999-00, were 13, 11, 6 and 5, respectively. A low point of 5 students was
recorded in both 1999-00 and 2004-05, but a high of 12 was reached in 2006-07 and 11
this year. Variability over the past 14 year, rather than decline, characterizes the Grade
Primary enrolment trend and thus the future enrolments of ICS.
From this data analysis, it is difficult to predict the future. Time will tell.
ICS as a Facility
Islands Consolidated School was built in 1947, with a gymnasium added in 1982. As an
old facility, ICS has some major capital needs. According to the most recent
assessment by Board staff, replacement of the boiler/burner, external siding and
windows, along with a lighting retrofit will cost about $500,000.
Based on almost 20 years of experience in dealing with school facilities, it is the opinion
of this consultant that half a million dollars should not be spent on upgrading a 63 year
old school. Replacement with a new school is the better option.
A Remote Location
Islands Consolidated is located in Freeport at the western end of Long Island. Its
catchment area includes Long Island for students in Grade P-12 and Briar Island for the
students in Grade 7-12. The remoteness of ICS is defined both by the fact that it serves
the families on 2 islands and by the long distance to Digby. Any consideration of
transferring the ICS students to a larger elementary and secondary school would require
that students be transported a relatively long distance to Digby Elementary and Digby
Regional High School.
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The students from Briar Island would have to take the ferry to Freeport and then travel
16.3 km (about 20 minutes) to Tiverton to take a second ferry to East Ferry on Digby
Neck. Then they would travel 47 kms (about 60 minutes) to the schools in Digby. The
distance from ICS to DRHS is 65.1 km and takes about an hour and 45 minutes,
depending on the ferry schedule and traffic.
In terms of distances normally traveled by students in the Maritime Provinces, these
distances are excessive, especially for elementary school age children and the ferry
rides make the situation more extreme. It is not reasonable, viable, or educationally
sound to consider transferring the elementary students to Digby Elementary School.
Furthermore, if ICS continues to operate for the elementary students, there is no need to
consider transferring the junior high students to Digby Regional High School.
The remainder of this section is put forward on the assumption that Islands Consolidated
will continue to operate and, within not too many years, will be replaced by a new school.
The only question is whether or not the school should become a P-8 or P-9 school with
the senior high students attending Digby Regional High School. The discussion that
follows focuses on the possible transfer of Grade 10-12, leaving ICS with a P-9
configuration.
Senior High, ICS
The question is not easily answered. On one hand, the senior high enrolment is so low
that the risks and challenges in trying to deliver a suitable range of course options and
student services have to be high and great. In a high school the size of ICS, (33
students this year) a small number of teachers must be “all things to all students”. Not
only is this true in the number and variety of courses and programs they must offer. The
same staff feels and wears the heavy responsibility of trying to offer a meaningful cocurricular and extra-curricular program for the students. On the other hand, the option of
attending high school in Digby must be seriously questioned because of the educational
and social impact of travelling the long distance---the impact on students and their
families.
Presently, a relatively young teaching and administrative staff is able to deliver only the
most basic, required program and an extra-curricular program. Any committed,
dedicated staff under the circumstances would worry and feel at times that the
expectations and pressures on them are unreasonable but there is no evidence to
suggest that a serious or urgent problem must be solved right away. This is to the credit
of the school’s staff and the Tri-County Regional School Board for staffing the school
well beyond what the system allocation formula provides. If the Board was not providing
additional teaching positions, the situation would be impossible.
At this point in the discussion, it seems unnecessary to explain in more detail why the
question has been raised about the senior high grades and why it is difficult to answer.
The high school enrolment of ICS is too small, but the school is very isolated by distance
and a ferry ride---2 ferries for some students. The reason for the question is obvious.
The answer is not.
Any process to answer this difficult question should include a thorough, open
consultation with the families, the senior high students and the school staff. And prior to
any public consultation, a detailed analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of
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each option should form the basis of discussion. There is a process which allows for this
consultation and analysis.
The legislated School Review process in Nova Scotia must be followed formally only
when a school is to be considered for closure and combination with another. In this
case, it need not be followed to consider transferring the senior high grades to Digby
Regional High because ICS would continue to operate or be replaced by a new school.
Nevertheless, the School Review process could serve a useful purpose here.
The following conclusions summarize what has been presented above.
Conclusion 1
Islands Consolidated should be replaced with a new school.
Conclusion 2
The families, students and staff of Islands Consolidated School should be consulted
about the option of transferring Grade 10, 11 and 12 to Digby Regional High School. A
thorough comparison of the advantages and disadvantages to the students and the
school community should be formally prepared as a discussion document. Although the
legislated School Review process is not required in considering a reconfiguration of a
school, it could be used in gaining input from all involved to answer this critical question.
It must be emphasized that no recommendation is being even suggested here that the
senior high grades be transferred to Digby High. The small high school enrolment
creates risks and challenges, but so does the isolation of the communities on Briar
Island and Long Island. The only conclusion at this point is that the question needs to
be asked and discussed with all involved.
Digby Neck Elementary School (DNES)
In the Part I Report of this School Utilization Study, it was concluded that the possibility
of closing Digby Neck Elementary School should be anticipated within the next 5 years
or so, depending on the enrolment decline. If the Tri-County Regional School Board
decides that Islands Consolidated School should be replaced with a new facility, the
school and community of Digby Neck should be consulted. If DNES is considered for
closure through the School Review process, attending either Digby Elementary or a new
school somewhere on Long Island gives 2 options to be assessed. Taking the ferry to
Long Island, rather than the longer distance to Digby, may be a reasonable option. As
evidence of this, 14 students from the catchment area of Digby Neck Elementary take
the ferry this year to attend school at ICS.
Conclusion 3
A consideration of building a new school to replace Islands Consolidated should include
a consideration of closing Digby Neck Elementary School, through a formal application
of the School Review process.
Conclusion 4
Although there is no urgency to consider these questions within the next year, it seems
timely that a consultation process should occur within the next 2 or 3 years.
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Conclusion 4 is based on the understanding that once a school board in Nova Scotia
decides to set a new school construction as a capital priority, it can be 5 to 10 years
before construction gets underway.
Maple Grove Education Centre (MGEC) and Meadowfields Community
School (MCS)
The future of these two schools has been addressed in one way or another in 2 previous
reports---in Part I of this School Utilization Study and in an October, 2008 report on the
future configuration of the Yarmouth and area schools. Some additional observations
and notes of explanation are presented in this section because of a question which has
been raised several times during this school utilization study.
In the 2008 report, it was recommended that a newly renovated school on the present
site of Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School should house Grade P-8, with the
understanding that the new high school would house Grade 9-12 at a new location. No
changes in the configurations of Maple Grove or Meadowfields were recommended in
that report.
The particular question raised since the release of this report is about the configuration
of MGEC. Could Grade 9 be transferred from Maple Grove to the new high school to
make room for all the Grade 7 and 8 students who presently attend Yarmouth Junior
High School? If so, Yarmouth Central Elementary School and South Centennial
Elementary School would be combined in a P-6 configuration, rather than the proposed
P-8.
This year, there are 181 students in Grade 9 at Maple Grove Education Centre and 170
in Grade 7 and 8 at Yarmouth Junior High School. Obviously, MGEC could house
Grade 7 and 8 from YJHS if its Grade 9 students were transferred to the new high
school.
The primary reason for not recommending this reconfiguration is related to the fact that
an overcrowding problem at Meadowfields Consolidated should be anticipated. MCS is
full to capacity and its enrolment is more likely to increase than those of other schools in
the Yarmouth area. If it does increase, so will the enrolment of MGEC. The most
obvious way to solve an overcrowding problem would be to transfer the Grade 6
students from MCS to Maple Grove and this would require that the Grade 9’s be
transferred from MGEC to the new high school.
A secondary reason is based on what are commonly accepted, traditional configurations.
Based on this consultant’s review of the literature and professional experience, grade
configuration is not a strong determinant of school effectiveness or student achievement,
but having only 2 grades in a school is uncommon. Because a Grade 7-8 configuration
is uncommon, it is not a time-tested or research-test configuration. Middle schools with
Grade 6-8 or junior high schools with Grade 7-9 are the common or traditional
configurations in Canada and the United States. Grade P-8 and P-9 are the other
common configurations for students in Grade 7 and 8.
For these reasons, no reconfiguration of Maple Grove Education Centre has been
recommended.
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