New Bawating school tops director's priority list

Around the Algoma District School Board, the priorities are starting to sharpen on the controversial draft capital plan that's expected to result in a sweeping array of area school closures and consolidations over the next 25 years.

Director of Education Mario Turco has three wishes for new schools that he hopes to get approval for over the next few weeks.

Turco is looking for go-aheads on:

- A new high school on the Bawating site to replace Sir James Dunn and Bawating Collegiates.

- A new junior kindergarten to Grade 12 school in Hornepayne.

- A new French immersion school consolidating F. H. Clergue and Rosedale Public Schools to be built on the F. H. Clergue site.

"I would also like to hear that we are approved to move ahead with the rest of the plan," he added.

As reported earlier by SooToday.com, the board's 25-year draft capital plan would see nearly all elementary schools in the Sault consolidated into four new schools.

Over the past few weeks the board has been receiving plenty of feedback from the community on its plan, Turco said.

"People are afraid we will create mega schools but we've assured them that isn't the case," he said. "At most, any one of our elementary schools will have 500 students."

Turco said there's overall support for the general concept of the plan.

But there's disagreement over where new schools would be built, which ones should come first and how big they will be.

"People want to see us build environmentally friendly schools," he said. "They are also still divided over the issue of JK-6 as opposed to JK-8 elementary schools."

But Turco said he isn't worried about those sorts of details just yet.

First, he and board trustees would like to find out whether they can start to consolidate its schools or not.

Consolidation seems to be the only way the board will be able to replace aging schools because enrolment is not expected to rise, creating need for new student spaces, Turco said.

To view the board's draft capital plan, visit its website.

The board's release on its draft capital plan follows.

******************* Capital plan update

Sergo lacoe, ADSB system administrator, updated the board on input that has been received thus far on the draft capital plan.

To date, 37 individuals or groups have provided feedback and/or requested a presentation on ADSB's draft capital plan.

All stakeholders who provided feedback received a written response thanking them for their interest, ideas and alternative solutions.

Based on comments and responses received from stakeholders, Mr. lacoe compiled and provided the board with a stakeholder feedback executive summary.

General comments and responses are as follows:

- Overall support for the concept of the plan.

- Consider alternate locations for proposed new school construction sites.

- Favour the JK-8 model over the JK-6 organization.

- Concern over 'mega-sized' schools; wish to ensure the 'right-sized' schools.