Debate over moving Grade 7-8 students to CASS continues

Superintendent of Education Asima Vezina presented trustees with an update on the Algoma District School Board's proposed Central Algoma Grade 7-12 program during last evening's board of director's meeting.

Throughout the month of March, ADSB administration invited written feedback regarding the Central Algoma 7-12 community consultation and whether or not Central Algoma Secondary School (CASS) should house Grade 7 and 8 students that would ordinarily attend the following schools:

• Arthur Henderson Public School
• Echo Bay Public School
• Johnson-Tarbutt Public School
• Laird Central Public School
• St. Joseph Island Public School
• Thessalon Public School

A total of 130 letters from the six municipalities in question were received from municipal councils, school councils, community members, and parents, almost half of which came from St. Joseph Island.

Although feedback from all municipalities was both supportive and non-supportive, Vezina noted that the majority of letters received from both Thessalon and St. Joseph Island expressed strong opposition to moving Grade 7 and 8 students to CASS.

Main areas of expressed concern include:

• Transportation
• Academic programming
• Social and emotional impact on the students
• Concern for the future of rural schools

In order to address these concerns, administration will consider four options before submitting a report and its final recommendation to the board on May 8:

• Option A - No change in current model
• Option B - All 7 and 8 students from each community attend the 7-12 program at CASS
• Option C - A choice be offered to parents in Thessalon as to where their children attend Grades 7 and 8, but not to parents in other communities
• Option D - A choice be offered to all parents in the six communities as to where their children attend Grades 7 and 8

Vezina told the board that municipal feedback indicated strong disapproval of allowing one community a choice, but not the other five.

Based on data and feedback collected to date, administration is considering either Option A or B as its final recommendation to the board.

Administration's report and final recommendation will be presented to trustees for consideration at the May 8 board meeting, and will be made available to the public on the ADSB website at that time.

Anyone wishing to submit addition input is invited to so after to report is made public until May 30, 2012.

Trustees are expected to vote on the final recommendations at the regular board meeting on June 12.