Public meetings are now scheduled as the Bluewater District School Board looks at what to do about declining enrolment in schools in Owen Sound and Meaford.
Staff plans to present their report and recommendations for the accommodation review, and members of the public will also have a chance to make presentations.
People need to register at least a week ahead to be able to speak.
The first meeting to gather community feedback will be held at Owen Sound Collegiate at 7pm on December 3. A meeting will be held in Meaford December 7 at the Georgian Bay Secondary School at 7pm.
For Owen Sound, the report suggests Grade 7 and 8 students be moved to the city's two secondary schools and reducing the number of elementary schools from seven to four sites.
The board would apply to the province for funding to build a new JK-6 school to replace Hillcrest Elementary. West Hill would also serve as the french immersion site.
The board predicts the changes would lead to an operation surplus of $40,000.
The status quo would lead to a $345,700 deficit for the year 2016-2017. Staff is also suggesting the closure of Meaford Community School by 2016-2017.
All Grades 4-8 elementary students in the area would attend Georgian Bay Secondary School.
The JK to Grade 3 students would attend St. Vincent Euphrasia Elementary School. The board would also apply for funding to build a new elementary school to meet expected enrollment increases in the next ten years.
Last year, the average utilization of the Meaford group of schools was 58%. That would lead to an annual net operating loss of nearly $200,000 for the current and coming year. The change would reduce that deficit to about $21,000 in the first year.
The board expects to make a decision in the Spring, with the change to take affect for the 2016-17 school year.
