Up to 26 elementary schools flagged for possible closure

Algoma District School Board may consolidate 36 of its elementary schools into 10 new buildings over the next 10 years.

Under a draft 25-year capital plan presented to school trustees last night, as many as 26 area schools would close. The proposed plan, which requires approval from both the school board and the Ministry of Education, a new elementary school, most likely on the site of Alex Muir, Eastview or Queen Elizabeth Public School, would be built to consolidate Manitou Park, Eastview, Alex Muir, Queen Elizabeth and Anna McCrea Public School.

In the northern area of Sault Ste. Marie, a new building, probably at the Bawating Collegiate and Vocational School site, would consolidate Kiwedin, Tarentorus, Northern Heights, Etienne Brule and William Merrifield public schools.

River View, Prince Charles and Ben R. McMullin public schools would merge to a new school likely to be located on the Rosedale Public School site.

Another new elementary school would be constructed at Korah Collegiate and Vocational Secondary School to consolidate Isabel Fletcher, R. M. Moore, Bay View, H. M. Robbins and Greenwood Public Schools.

Schools that will not change under the proposed plan are Mountain View, Aweres, Grandview, Parkland, Pineview and St. Joseph's Island Public Schools.

But those schools will nonetheless be under periodic review for physical condition as well as enrolment.

"There is no single school large enough to accomodate all the French immersion students currently enroled in the program," said Director of Education Mario Turco. "So we're asking the ministry to build one for that program as well, either from JK to [Grade] 6 or to [Grade] 8."

F. H. Clergue and Rosedale Public Schools would be consolidated into a French immersion school to be built on the F. H. Clergue site.

The adult alternative education schools presently located at S. F. Howe and Elliot Lake would be moved into secondary schools under the plan, and S. F. Howe would close.

In the eastern part of the Algoma District School Board, Iron Bridge, Spanish and Rockhaven public schools would be consolidated into an elementary school likely to be built in Blind River.

The draft capital plan includes an option to locate Grade 7 and Grade 8 students from those schools to W.C. Eaket Secondary School.

Under the plan for Elliot Lake, Central Avenue and Esten Park Public Schools are to be consolidated to a new school on a site to be determined.

Echo Bay, Laird and Desbarats Public Schools would be consolidated in a new school to be built on the Central Algoma Secondary School (CASS) site with an option to send Grades 7 and 8 from those schools to the secondary school.

Authur Henderson and its annex will consolidate to a new school on that site in Bruce Mines, with another option to send the Grade 7 and 8 classes to CASS.

Wawa may see a consolidation of Michipicoten High School and Sir James Dunn Public School for a new school that includes Grades JK to 12 or a renovation of the elementary school for Grades JK to 6 and Grades 7 to 12 remaining at the high school.

Hornepayne and Chapleau are also being considered for a single new school that would serve students from JK to Grade 12.

Turco said each of the new schools will have about 500 students and appropriate, current learning facilities.

"These will be state-of-the-art schools with the right-sized learning environments and right-sized facilities for the students," he said/

At this point, Turco isn't sure whether the public will want the elementary schools to be Junior Kindergarten to 6 or JK to 8, but the plan can accomodate either, he said.

"This plan represents a solid direction for the future of our children and for the children of our children," says Turco. "It is one of the most important issues that this board has been involved in since amalgamation."

Turco says the plan has the potential to positively affect every student in the board.

The idea, trustees were told, is to save $125 million over the 25 years covered by the draft plan.

Changes are needed because of the aging condition of Algoma's schools (75 percent of them are 40 years or older) and the loss of more than 3,000 students since the district board was created from six smaller boards.

Enrolment is expected to drop another 3,000 students over the next 10 years, trustees were told.