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March 22, 2011

Public Meeting #1

Ward 14 Downtown Elementary Schools Accommodation Review

AGENDA

• Welcome: Sheila Ward, Ward 14 Trustee and Andrea Alimi, Co-ordinating Superintendent, Employee Services

 

• Introduction of the Committee members: Andrea Alimi

• Review of the agenda and background to the creation of this Pupil Accommodation Review Committee: Andrea Alimi

• Overview of the Pupil Accommodation Review process: Audrey Amo, Facilitator

• Enrolment and other data: Palma Vitti, Educational Planning Officer

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AGENDA

• Questions for Clarification

• Next steps: Audrey AmoPublic Meeting #2 April 12, 2011 Regent Park/Duke of York

Public Meeting #3 May 17, 2011 Lord Dufferin PS

Public Meeting #4 June 14, 2011 Winchester PS

• Adjournment

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WHY ARE WE HERE?

• The TDSB is looking at the future of the schools in the Regent Park community resulting from the opportunity to renew Nelson Mandela Park Public School and the enrolment trends in the community

• With the support of the Ministry of Education, Nelson Mandela Park PS will be rebuilt as part of the Regent Park Revitalization that includes Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) as a partner o The planning for the rebuilding has beguno Funding has been securedo A child care centre will be includedo The school will be developed as a full service schoolo The new building will be open for September 2012

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WHY ARE WE HERE?

• As mandated by the Ministry of Education, school boards must establish a Pupil Accommodation Review Committee when they are considering the future of a school or group of schools

• At its meeting on December 15, 2010, the TDSB approved the establishment of a Pupil Accommodation Review Committee for this community

• This review will look at the number of students for the rebuilt Nelson Mandela Park PS, the potential consolidation of schools in the neighbourhood, the grade configurations of other schools (e.g. JK-Grade 6; JK-Grade 8) and potential school boundary changes

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SCHOOLS NAMED IN THIS REVIEW

• Church Street Junior Public School/Native Learning Centre

• Jesse Ketchum Junior and Senior Public School

• Lord Dufferin Junior and Senior Public School

• Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School

• Nelson Mandela Park Public School

• Regent Park/Duke of York Junior Public School

• Rose Avenue Junior Public School

• Sprucecourt Junior Public School

• Winchester Junior and Senior Public School

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CHALLENGES FACING SCHOOL BOARDS

Declining enrolment: o Since peaking in 2002-03, enrolments (in the province) have

declined by approximately 5% or 108,000 studentso Provincial enrolment is projected to decline over the next four

years by an additional 33,000 studentso The GTA (excluding Toronto) is the only region expected to

grow, with Northern Ontario to experience the largest relative decline

• The Provincial funding formula is based largely on the number of students so fewer students means less funding from the government

• Declining enrolment means that many school buildings are below capacity. These partially-empty schools are expensive to maintain

• It is a challenge for school boards to secure Ministry funding for new schools when faced with excess surplus space in existing schools

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CHALLENGES FACING THE TDSB

• TDSB’s enrolment has declined by about 12% or 35,500 students since 2002

• Elementary enrolments have declined to their lowest point and now, combined with the Ministry initiative of Full Day Kindergarten, projected enrolments are anticipated to recover some of previous losses. In  secondary, enrolments are projected to decline as the previous year’s decline in elementary begins to flow through to the secondary grades

• Millions of dollars in provincial funding has been lost due to declining enrolment

• The average age of TDSB’s school buildings is 55; some are over 100 years old

• The backlog of major maintenance projects now totals approximately $3 billion

• Decreasing revenue impacts the support of student learning and achievement

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WHAT IS A PUPIL ACCOMMODATION REVIEW COMMITTEE ?

• A Pupil Accommodation Review Committee is a committee mandated by the Ministry of Education that a school board must establish when it is determining the future of a school or group of schools

• The Ministry of Education has set out a specific guideline that school boards and Pupil Accommodation Review Committees must follow

• A Pupil Accommodation Review Committee must hold a series of public meetings to receive input from the community. It makes recommendations about the schools named in its mandate in order to inform the Board; however, the Board of trustees make the final decisions about the schools

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WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF A PUPIL ACCOMMODATION REVIEW COMMITTEE

IN THE TDSB?• The superintendent of education for the schools named in the review

(chair of the Committee)

• Two parents and the principal from each school named in the review

• A community person

• Two secondary school students from a secondary school in the area

• A principal from outside the area

• The local trustee

• The city councillor(s) representing the ward(s) of the named schools

Note: Substitutes cannot be sent to represent absent members

Supports to the Committee include a facilitator and central staff

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WHAT DOES THE COMMITTEE DO?

• Conducts a pupil accommodation review of the schools named in the review, following the Ministry of Education guideline, the Board’s policy and procedure regarding Pupil Accommodation Reviews, and its Terms of Reference

• Receives input from the community and TDSB staff

• Holds at least 4 Public Meetings

• Considers options for the future of the named schools, taking into account all of the input it has received

• Makes recommendations in a final report to be provided to the Director of Education

• The Committee does NOT make recommendations about the future use of a school (surplus/sale) or about the use of a school by external community organizations or partners

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REFERENCE CRITERIA

1. Minimal grade transitions: Aim for JK to 8 schools but where this configuration is not practical, devise solutions that minimize transitions

WHY? More students = a wider range of programs available Schools with grades 7 and 8 must have full-sized gyms, science

and technology classrooms A fuller arts and music program, better access to a wider range

of sports and teams etc. Improved access to specialized teachers (e.g. guidance, phys.

Ed., arts) Higher likelihood of full-time librarians and vice-principals 12

The TDSB’s vision will guide the Pupil Accommodation Review Committee’s work and the following three criteria are to be referenced during the review process:

REFERENCE CRITERIA

2. School size: Aim for 450 to 650 (elementary) and provide for full implementation of the Full Day Kindergarten by 2015

WHY? More students = a wider range of programs available

3. Utilization: Aim for minimum range of 80% to 90% utilization rate

WHY? This allows both space for future growth if enrolments increase

and some flexibility with available space (i.e. use of room for art activities)

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WHAT DOES THE COMMITTEE DO?

• The Committee must use the Board’s three Reference Criteria as its guide. Aim for: o JK-Grade 8 schools where possibleo elementary schools with enrolments of 450 to 650 studentso utilization rates of 80% to 90%

• The Ministry’s guideline and the Board’s Accommodation and Program Review policy state that: o “staff shall identify at least one option that staff considers to be

advisable” o the Committee “shall ensure that those most affected have

opportunities to explore options ... and to propose reasonable alternatives”

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TIMELINES

Timelines are mandated by the Ministry of Education.

• A Pupil Accommodation Review Committee must have its first public meeting no less than 30 days following the Board’s approval of the accommodation review process.

• There must be a minimum of four meetings to allow the public to engage in conversations about their schools.

• The Committee’s consultation period must be no less than 90 days.

• After the Committee submits its report to the Director and it is posted on the website, there must be no less than 60 days notice prior to the meeting of the Board when Trustees will vote on recommendations.

• Note: School holidays, including adjacent weekends, are not considered in these calculations

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THE COMMITTEE’S REPORT

• The report must include accommodation recommendations consistent with the objectives and Reference Criteria as outlined in the Terms of Reference

• The report will be given to the Director and shall be posted on the Board’s website

• Board administration shall review the report and make its recommendations in a report to the trustees

• The trustees will make the final decisions regarding Committee and staff recommendations including the closure of the schools

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THE ENROLMENT CHALLENGES IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

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THE ENROLMENT CHALLENGES IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

• The total capacity of the Planning Area is 5,263 pupil places and the total September 2009 enrolment is 3,637.

• As a result, there are 1,626 surplus pupil places and the sites are on average 69% utilized based on head count enrolment.

• The enrolments between 2005 and 2009 have declined by 873 students.

• Lord Dufferin PS and Regent Park/Duke of York Jr PS are projected to remain below the optimal utilization rate of 80% to 90%.

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Thank you for attending this first Public Meeting!

The Committee hopes that you will come to the next three Public Meetings and will give us your input about our

neighbourhood schools.

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