John N. Given Public School in Chatham is the latest facility on the chopping block as the LKDSB continues to deal with declining enrolment.
At this point, the recommendation is to move the English Language programs to Tecumseh Public School in Chatham, while the Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion programs would move to McNaughton Avenue Public School.
Superintendent of Education Gary Girardi says a number of factors led staff to that recommendation.
"John N. Given and Tecumseh Public School are both under capacity and both of the populations that we're considering in terms of the English language program can be accommodated within Tecumseh Public School," says Girardi. "The schools are also under a kilometre apart from each other."
According to the initial staff report that was presented at a recent LKDSB meeting, John N. Given is at 71% capacity right now, while Tecumseh Public School is at just 62% capacity.
As for the French Immersion program, Girardi says the recommendation is that the school board keep all of the students who are in the program under one roof at the McNaughton Avenue location instead of sending some of them off to a different school for Grade 7 and 8.
"Those students actually initially attend McNaughton Avenue Public School from Kindergarten to Grade 6," says Girardi. "So we would reduce the transition for them."
Unlike Tecumseh and John N. Given, McNaughton Avenue is currently operating at 92% capacity, so it wouldn't be able to handle a large influx of students. However, the staff report indicates that the most recent enrolment projections indicate McNaughton Avenue's enrolment will start to decrease in 2018, which will make room for the additional Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion students.
The Accommodation Review process is already underway with an orientation session planned for October 27, 2016 at the LKDSB's Chatham Education Centre.
The first public meeting is taking place on December 1, 2016 from 6pm to 8pm at John N. Given Public School. Requests to speak at the meeting need to be submitted by November 23, 2016 at 4pm.
You can find the necessary form to submit a request here.
If the school board eventually does vote to go ahead with the recommendation, updates to Tecumseh Public School could take place next summer with John N. Given closing in June 2017. In that case, the consolidated school at the Tecumseh Public site and the Grade 7 and 8 french immersion classes at McNaughton Avenue would both start in September 2017.
