Elementary program not closing, says school board

The fate of two Algoma District School Board (ADSB) schools will be determined in a final vote by the board June 20. 

An Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) is recommending JK to Grade 8 students currently enrolled at Sir James Dunn Public School in Wawa be relocated to Michipicoten High School, transitioning that site to a JK to Grade 12 facility.

“We’re not closing the elementary program,” said Joe Maurice, ADSB superintendent, at Tuesday’s board meeting.

“There seems to be some misconception in the community that we’re closing…it is not, if this is approved they would relocate, they’re still going to have a vibrant JK to 8 facility and the feeling is if they were together there would be some synergies (in a JK to Grade 12 facility at Michipicoten).”

“This gives us an opportunity to create a JK to Grade 12 hub which would create enhanced opportunities for our students…(currently) we have two buildings with declining enrolment over the years which are not being used as efficiently as they can, so we see a number of excellent program opportunities if we bring them together in one site,” Maurice said.

The committee’s final report on Sir James Dunn was scheduled to be posted on the ADSB website Monday.

Meanwhile, it is also being suggested Blind River Public School’s JK to Grade 8 students be housed in a JK to Grade 12 facility on the W.C. Eaket High School site.

A committee’s final report on that proposal will be posted on the board’s website May 18, said Brent Vallee, ADSB superintendent.

Areas of concern include an outdoor space next to W.C. Eaket, which is owned by the municipality.

“Those outdoor space considerations need to be resolved for the JK to 12 site to be viable,” Vallee said.