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Post by vickysmallman on Jun 6, 2013 22:30:20 GMT -5
Hey everyone Amazing turnout and many thoughtful, constructive contributions at tonight`s public meeting. Thank you, everyone. We`ll try and put up some notes from the small group discussions, but I am posting a link to the powerpoint we were unable to show with our technical difficulties. If you have thoughts about a particular scenario, you can post them in the relevant thread or make them here. You should be able to view the file here: docs.google.com/file/d/0B96faPHJFPYHVDVkSzV4eFFCSVU/edit?usp=sharing It is in PDF format so should work for most. Vicky |
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megk
Junior Member
Posts: 92
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Post by megk on Jun 7, 2013 6:27:13 GMT -5
Thank you Vicky. There was a group of parents who did not go last night, but who will be out on the 20th. Are these the scenarios for the public meeting as well?
I found the meeting frustrating. We were asked at the very end to vote on scenarios based on boundary changes, without understanding any of the numbers behind the scenarios. Without understanding, even at a high level - what the grade/student breakdown is for the schools, I can't say which is best for the children in the community. A strong EFI program would be best, but I have no clear idea which scenario represents that (except possibly Fisher Park only?).
I have a few questions for Lil and Christopher
1. The numbers are available on the OCDSB website, so why haven't they been added to the scenarios to get a better understanding of how many children are actually moving in the scenarios and what the program/grade structure would be at the suggested school? There was once a strong group of parents willing to do the leg work for that type of thing and advise you, but this consultation stopped in April.
2. Everyone voted for the scenario that has the least effect on their own boundary. It would be nice to stop isolating specific streets, infavour of first putting together what makes the best class sizes and program breakdown, then look at which schools have space for it and finally start moving around boundary lines to see what it would take to make that work. This puts programming first and focuses on creating another strong EFI program in the community.
3. Christopher said the magic bullet scenario is Hilson EFI and Connaught EFI, these boundaries & programming seem acceptable to everyone. Why isn't there more of a push for this? Moving Hilson MFI means moving 150 students out (that would be just the Gr. 4/5/6? I'm pulling that number from Christopher's talk last night). That is still a much stronger program being moved to a new school then any of the Cambridge scenarios which build an EFI program from less than 90 kids for 8 grades (JK-6). The Hilson EFI would trigger a full ARC, but Jennifer McKenzie said triggering an ARC could be done by Spring and there would be a proper process in place. This would seem better than a group of parents picking random streets/boundary lines. I would put my vote behind a full ARC since there would be a formal process and more input from the public (4 public consultations vs 1 we have on June 20th).
4. Cambridge scenario results in the weakest EFI program. What would the numbers look like for the EFI program if more families were pulled from Civic Hospital area? I think there needs to be more in the proposal indicating there is the numbers for a school program as strong and vibrant as the Connaught proposals and not as an after thought.
5. The results of the survey indicated support for keeping cohorts together. With this in mind, could the Fisher Park 5-8 be re-opened? That would not touch boundaries and move kids together. I'm not sure I understand why the parents in the ARC group took it off the table?
6. Splitting Devonshire in 3rds (Connaught/Devonshire/Cambridge) affects a large number of families, possibly more than 200 (that is just based on numbers from the OCDSB website for E3, E4, E5, D1). That is over 50% moved out of Devonshire and would trigger a full ARC as well. Is that correct?
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Post by cwhitehead on Jun 9, 2013 23:34:51 GMT -5
In reply, the board has said that the optimal size for ANY stream is at least 2 classes per grade, which allows the teachers to share ideas and collaborate in ways not possible with smaller programs. The only schools in the neighbourhood that would allow for 16 classrooms of EFI to be dropped in are Fisher Park and Gowling.
Failing that, a stream of one class per grade is still perfectly viable as long as there are at least 15 students per grade (this number comes from the Glebe/ Ottawa South review), once classes stay below 10 students per grade, a program could be considered at risk. Just using the numbers of D1 students currently enrolled at Devonshire, there are cohorts of 7-17 kids per grade east of the tracks up to grade 3, only 3 in Grade 4 and 7 each in 5 and 6. If we were to include some of Elgin St's western catchment, those numbers would go up, and it's quite possible that we could include some of E4 as you suggest.
More responses:
1) the public numbers available from the board are by neighbourhood only, they aren't broken down by street, so for example CO1 includes all of Hintonburg and Mechanicsville. There's no way we could make an informed estimate of school populations with catchments that differ from what the board has drawn for E1,2, 3, etc.
2) I would suggest that people voted for a variety of reasons for the option that was the least unappealing to them. I was surprised that D/E variation 1 had the most votes, since the borders were pretty problematic. However, it had the appeal that it didn't necessitate using Fisher Park as elementary space.
3) unfortunately I missed the meeting at which Scenario C (new Hilson EFI stream, MFI moves to Connaught)was taken off the table. From what I understand, the feeling was that this would be hugely disruptive to Hilson, which very recently had to fight to get MFI in their school and is only now getting close to being full. As it is, most of the MFI population at Hilson comes from the west side of their catchment, so relocating them to Connaught would mean busing. There's no appetite to bus any students anywhere, and not much appetite to disrupt non-EFI students unnecessarily.
4)I would agree, that is something I've been hearing a lot. It's entirely possible that the time is not quite ripe for an EFI stream at Cambridge.
5)There is currently no appetite from any other school to talk about 6-8 or 5-8. This may happen as we get closer to June 20th. Ontario curriculum groups the grades together in Primary (1-3), Junior (4-6) and Intermediate (7&8). The board's preferred grade groupings would not break off grade 6 or 5/6 from 4. I'm not the right person to argue this point with the Superintendents of Instruction.
6)I don't have those numbers yet. It's quite possible that D/E variation 3 wouldn't need a Cambridge EFI stream to make it work. Remember as well that we're going to be trying to implement the changes in as least disruptive a form as possible. So no, there won't be 50% of current Devonshire students moved out or an ARC.
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