Considering School Closure

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Considering School Closure

• Riverside Elementary School
• November 16, 2009

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Please register to be on the speakers list if you
have not already done so

• See Janice Allen at the desk and she will place
  you on the list. Reminder that presentations are
  to be a maximum of 5 minutes each to allow
  everyone an opportunity to speak

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Introductions Board Staff Members Present

• Board Chair, Kathie Ward
• Board Vice Chair, Ken Clarkson
• Trustee Susan Carr
• Trustee Mike Huber
• Trustee Eleanor Palis
• Trustee Dave Rempel
• Trustee Stepan Vdovine
• Superintendent, Jan Unwin
• Deputy Superintendent, Stewart Sonne
• Director, Laurie Meston
• Director, David Vandergugten
• Principal, Tanya Dailey
• Others

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Context

• What is the projected financial situation in SD42
  over the next several years?
• Where would the money being saved go to?

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Projected Financial Situation

• The school district will not be getting increased
  funding from the Province to meet additional
  financial pressures. We will be expected to
  cover additional costs like
• Additional Special Education Costs
• Increasing Operating Costs
• Student Choice
• HST
• Carbon Tax
• Labour Market Increases.
• And any other Ministry surprises ( AFG, Community
  Links)
• All with less money coming in

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Projected Financial Situation contd

• The school district is still projecting declining
  enrollment and as a result our grant funding will
  be reduced in relation to lower numbers of
  students.
• This will cause us to continue to have to look
  across this district for places to find large
  sums of money just to maintain the services we
  currently have.
• This is why we have possible school closure on
  our list of ways to keep services across the
  district for all kids.
• We are at the point where we have nowhere else to
  look for money without cutting people and
  programs across the district.

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Savings

• If Riverside and Mt. Crescent Elementary schools
  were to close, the money saved by both schools
  closing will be at minimum an amount of 380,000
  per school and at least another 50,000 per
  school in possible secondary facilities uses.
• The total savings will be in the neighbourhood of
  860,000 per year and each year following.
• This money will be used to try to maintain what
  we currently have due to increased expectations
  with the same amount of dollars.

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School closure/programs and people

• If we are unable to achieve savings through
  either or both school closure processes then we
  will need to look to cut some of the following
  programs or people. As always there will be
  consultation and process used but we are forced
  into a no other place to turn scenario.

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• To find money in response to declining
  enrollment and increased financial pressures we
  will need to look at
• Class size
• Specialty programs such as IB, elementary band,
  French immersion, electives in high school .
• Special compensation for smaller schools
• Non-enrolling teachers such as district
  facilitators, counsellors, librarians, etc
• Special Education services
• SEAs and CCWs
• Clerical time
• School fees
• Bill 33 money
• Administration

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On a broader district level we will need to look
at possible financial savings by analyzing

• Transportation services
• 2 week spring break
• More school closures
• Common calendars
• Pro d only on common pro d days/focus days
• Supplies
• School accounts
• Efficiencies tools

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This is all very difficult

• Nobody in this room wants to recommend closing
  schools.
• We are looking to find ways to continue to
  service all students across the district with
  equity and access in mind.
• The province as well as all other school.
  districts are in very hard financial times.
• This will continue for some years to come.

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Program

• Answers to new questions raised by Parents (We
  have grouped and categorized the answers.) Each
  member of Sr. Staff will speak to various parts
  of the program.
• Answers to questions raised by Trustees
• Presentations by public members

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Transition Process in the Event of School Closure

• Contact will be made with every parent with
  opportunity to make a decision where they wish
  their child to attend.
• Decisions about student placement will be based
  on the stated criteria for enrollment or
  transfer. These include
• In catchment first
• Out of catchment with siblings
• Out of catchment no sibling
• All subject to space being available

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Registration / Catchment

• A process is in place to meet the needs of every
  single student in consideration of the physical
  space in every school across the District.
• In the event a school is closed, catchment areas
  will be adjusted accordingly. As part of that
  process, senior staff will make recommendations
  in consideration of student population, safety,
  and school capacity.
• Timeframes have been organized allowing for
  effective classroom structure, staffing,
  allocation of resources, and planning.

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Timelines in the event of a decision to close

• Parents would receive registration forms that
  would allow for transfer to new school. That
  would happen before the elementary transfer
  deadline of March 19, 2010
• Director of Elementary Education would meet with
  Principals to determine available space and best
  learning environment. Parents would be informed
  of these decisions by April 6th, 2010.

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Facilities

• If a school closes, schools in the surrounding
  areas will have enough room to accommodate
  students from the closed school.
• Daycares are private businesses who operate on a
  year to year contract.
• Building envelope repairs and/or seismic
  upgrading do not close a school down.
• A transition team would be formed to work with
  parents, admin, teachers and support staff to
  find appropriate placements for students who are
  unsure where the best fit for them would be.

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Financial

• Smaller schools cost more than larger schools due
  to things like
• Organization of Classroom Configuration
• Bill 33
• Resources
• Given costs of full time secretary,
  administration, etc. divided by fewer students
  who receive service
• For students who are Ministry identified as
  having special needs, the service will follow the
  student to the new school.

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Rationale for Consideration of School Closure

• There are many reasons that schools are closed.
• Facilities
• Financial Impact
• Educational Opportunities
• Enrollment Numbers
• Demographic Projections

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Demographics - Riverside
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Safety

• The safety of our students is paramount.
• As part of the transition plan if schools were to
  close, SD42 staff will meet with parents to
  address safety issues that are within our
  control.
• The district will also work closely with the
  municipality on student safety issues.

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Resources

• Many schools in the district offer engaging and
  innovative programming including laptop programs,
  the use of smart boards, digital back and forth
  books, fine arts programs, etc.
• Program options would depend on which school
  students attend.
• In the face of significant budget issues it may
  be very challenging for the district to continue
  to maintain these programs at any school.

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Impact on Students - Achievement

• Our goal in all our schools is to maintain a
  learning environment that fosters and supports
  students learning and growth. If the decision is
  to close RS, in order to ensure that there is
  continuity of programming between schools we
  would
• Put a significant focus on transitioning
  ensuring that information, ideas, programming
  that have been successful are shared.
  including information pertaining to class
  placement in the new school.

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Impact on Students - Achievement cont.

• In situations where the student needs are complex
  and/or parents are very concerned about the
  transition, there would be meetings set up with
  parents, present school staff, receiving school
  staff to discuss the specific childs needs.
  This would include information about learning
  styles, strategies, and IEP goals, objectives,
  strategies.

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Impact on Students Larger School

• With a larger student population
• The ability to accommodate student needs in
  regards to placement and programming options can
  be enhanced as there are more options for
  placement and the ability to match students and
  teachers.
• The amount of time that itinerant staff are in
  the building is increased as they are based on
  student numbers, e.g. counselling, school
  psychology time, speech and language.

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Impact on Students Support Services

• All schools are staffed on the same base formula
  for teacher FTE, support teacher FTE, librarian.
  SEA time allocations are also based on district
  criteria. CCW time is provided based on
  vulnerability and school request.
• Schools with high levels of vulnerable students
  such as MC, GL, HAM, EL, HP, receive a slightly
  higher level of support teacher time. This
  level of service would continue.
• However, the district has provided additional
  time for very small schools to avoid multi age
  groupings and Bill 33 issues due to small number
  of classes, etc. This will be very challenging
  for us to maintain next year regardless of
  closure due to financial issues.

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Impact on Students with Special Needs

• Transition for children with special needs
  particularly those with autism or high anxiety
  can be challenging. We see this particularly
  when students transition to high school. What we
  have found to be beneficial to reduce the issues
  are a collaboratively developed transition plan
  as part of the IEP which includes some or all of
  the following
• Gradual transition beginning in the spring,
• Front loading of change using social stories
• Adults in the childs life speak and act
  positively about the change
• Materials that the child uses at the present
  school are transitioned to the new school
• Introductions to new staff and peers in a
  structured way over time
• Email contact if appropriate
• Indication of what support will look like in the
  new year in the new school

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Impact on Students with Special Needs cont.

• Programs that are in place to support student
  anxiety etc. such as Taming the Worry Dragons can
  be used during the transition
• Change helps to build resiliency in children,
  if the change is presented in a positive
  supportive manner.

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Impact on Students - Attendance

• In any situation where a child is struggling to
  attend school we would address the needs on an
  individual basis. This would be in consultation
  with parents, physician, counsellor, teacher,
  etc.

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Impact on Students Testing Support

• As part of the transition plan, waitlists for
  Psych Ed assessment, Occupational Therapy and
  Speech and Language etc. will need to be analyzed
  in order to determine students current position
  on the waitlist. It is possible that the
  district may need to increase access to these
  services at receiving schools for a period of
  time or consider summer assessment time.
• Current supports that are necessary for the
  student to be successful should be outlined in
  the IEP.

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Impact on Students Issues in Schools

• If parents have struggles with teachers or
  administrators in any school we have a
  collaboratively developed appeals process which
  can be found on our website under parents. It
  clearly indicates the process to use if you have
  a concern with any teacher or with any
  administrator.

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Trustee Questions

• How has legislation changed on what to do with
  closed schools?

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Legislation Changes

• The school closure process would not involve any
  consideration of disposal of the school, as the
  proposed future use for both schools would
  continue to be educational for the school
  district.

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Trustee Questions

• What are some possible secondary uses considered
  for each school and what are the financial
  implications of such secondary usage?

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Possible Secondary Facilities Uses

• Riverside Elementary
• Proposed consideration for use would be to
  provide education services to Continuing
  Education, International Education, Odyssey, RMC,
  and related programs.

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Trustee Questions

• If either or both schools were to close, when
  would catchment review be done?

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Trustee Questions

• The catchment review process would begin as soon
  as the decision is made.
• Whether there is school closure or not boundaries
  will need to be reviewed particularly in the
  East.
• The goal would be to complete the process by mid
  January so that parents have knowledge of the
  catchments prior to February 8th when
  kindergarten registration occurs.

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Trustee Questions

• Are there any plans to recommend closing other
  schools in the near future?

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Closing Schools in the Near Future

• The factors used in determining school use are
  well documented. These factors, including
  financial impact, facilities, educational
  opportunities, and enrollment are examined every
  year as part of the mandate of the Board of
  Education.
• We would like to maintain neighborhood schools,
  but there comes a time when the facts cause us to
  take a responsible look at every possibility.

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Presentations

• An opportunity for everyone to ask their
  questions.
• We will hear all presentations in booked order.
• Please limit presentations to 5 minutes.

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Thank you for coming and sharing your thoughts

• These are very difficult financial times and the
  trustees will be asked to make some very
  challenging decisions over the remainder of their
  term.
• It is important that we clarify that there has
  been no recommendation made at this time by
  senior staff
• It is also important to note that there has been
  no decision discussed by trustees at this point

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Whats next?

• Senior Team will meet and analyze all relevant
  data and information between now and December
  4th.
• At that time senior team will make formal
  recommendations to the Board of Education.
• On Monday, December 7th, the recommendations will
  be part of the Public Board package available to
  all who wish to see them.