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MARK-ALAN WHITTLE DALTON EXPLAINS MORATORIUM ON SCHOOL CLOSURES March 1st, 2004 Dear Mr. Whittle: Thank you very much for your e-mail regarding the moratorium on school closures. I appreciate the vital concerns you raised in your letter. Our government's job is to deliver real, positive change and strengthen the foundation for even more profound change in the future. As part of our plan to reform and revitalize public education, we've asked school board chairs to put a moratorium on school closures until after September 2004 pending a review of the provincial school closure guidelines. All schools under consideration for closure would remain open in the next school year unless there is widespread agreement for the closure among the affected school community. New school closure policies will require boards to assess the education and community value of schools, with a special emphasis on the needs of rural schools. We will also review all the relevant elements of the funding formula that may have an impact on closure decisions. We believe these decisions should be part of a long-term plan that reflects improvements that benefit Ontario students. Thank you again for your comments. The bottom line is my colleagues and I want to ensure an excellent public education for our children because they deserve every opportunity for success. I assure you that your views will be taken into consideration as we move ahead with our plan for real, positive change. Together, we will build a stronger Ontario. Yours truly, Dalton McGuinty Premier ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moratorium on School closures Dear Dalton, After reading about the 'political' victory for Dundas public schools in the Hamilton Spectator today (see news article below), at the expense of us parents and students who had faith in staffs consolidation plan and carefully studied school closure decisions, I'm left wondering what special interest group, disguised as parents, will be next to be appeased by the spineless Trustees? More telling is the Boards strange interpretation of the moratorium on school closures issued by the Education Minister, which requires consensus from the whole education community, not just the politically motivated parents in Dundas. Until consensus is achieved with the rest of us, the original democratic decisions made by elected Trustee's and legislated into law by the government Supervisor should stand. Please clarify the moratorium on school closures and what you mean by wide consensus within the education community. The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and the Trustees are assuming you have given them an excuse to go back on their word to the community at large. I hope this is not your intent. Please response as quickly as you can as this is a very important issue as we want to build new schools to replace the fire traps we are closing. Sincerely, Mark-Alan Whittle 'Victory' for Dundas schools School board rejects closure plan, decides to keep two secondary and four elementary schools Dundas parents can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Hamilton public school trustees have tossed aside provincial supervisor Jim Murray's decision on Dundas school closures and adopted a community committee's approach instead. It means that Dundas will keep both its high schools and have four elementary schools, not three. "In terms of the Dundas community, that's a victory from where we were a week ago," Dundas trustee Jessica Brennan said. Last night's action by the committee of the whole will need board approval Jan. 26, but the overwhelming support from trustees makes that a formality. The five-year strategy Murray approved last fall included closing Parkside High School and expanding Highland Secondary. Five of the six elementary schools in Dundas would have closed -- the exception being Dundana -- and two new junior kindergarten to Grade 8 schools would have been built. The community committee had recommended construction of one new JK-8 school, conversion of Dundas Central to JK-8, and closure of three elementary schools -- Central Park, Dundas District, and either Dundana or Pleasant Valley. Yorkview stays open and secondary accommodation will be revisited later, if required. Trustees didn't flinch last night from the distasteful task of choosing between Dundana or Pleasant Valley for closure. The axe fell on Pleasant Valley, which will close this June. Trustee Judith Bishop said staff had given good reasons for keeping Dundana open. Dundana has a bigger site, with a bus turnaround. It has more classrooms, and unlike Pleasant Valley, a dividable gym. Pleasant Valley would be more costly to renovate because of its unique circular design and sloping site. However, it's likely that more students will need transportation because of Pleasant Valley closing. Board officials had said last year the six-school scenario was not sustainable, given the projected student population of Dundas. A storm of protest erupted when Murray chose the two-phase strategy recommended by the officials over that of the community committee. Trustees at the time also voted in favour of the officials' recommendation, with some safeguards. The new board decided to review the Dundas issue because Education Minister Gerard Kennedy asked for a moratorium on school closures until after this September, unless there was consensus within the school community. Trustee Ian Thompson voted against closing Pleasant Valley. He feels it's premature to close any school during the suggested moratorium. Brennan abstained from the vote on Pleasant Valley, the neighbourhood school her son attends. "As a parent, I'm just sad," Brennan admitted. She praised "the solidarity and collective energy of the Dundas community that has kept pressure, influence and persuasion on this board." Catchment (school) areas will be defined so there are relatively equal numbers of students at the two junior kindergarten-Grade 8 schools. Superintendent of education Ken Bain said that neither Yorkview nor Dundana, the JK- 6 schools, will require portable classrooms or additions. |