French Immersion attendance areas to be set for South Guelph
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
March 8, 2013
GUELPH, Ontario – The third and final report of the New South Guelph JK-8 FI Centre Boundary Review has been posted to the Upper Grand District School Board website, in advance of the presentation to trustees on Tuesday, March 19, 2013.
The report is the final step in the process to establish the attendance area of a new JK to Grade 8 French Immersion (FI) centre to be constructed in southeast Guelph, on Zaduk Place. The target opening date is September 2014, at an estimated cost of $7.3 million.
Goals of the review included the creation of a viable and sustainable JK-8 FI program in South Guelph, and to relieve enrolment pressure at John McCrae PS, Fred A. Hamilton PS and Paisley Road PS. Enrolment is on the rise due to the implementation of Full Day Kindergarten (FDK), and significant growth in the FI program.
Report #3 of the Boundary Review recommends that trustees adopt Scenario 2, identified in a previous report as the preferred option of board staff.
Six maps appended to the report show attendance areas effective September 2014 for the new school, Fred A. Hamilton PS, John McCrae PS and Paisley Road PS.
If trustees adopt the report’s recommendations, the JK-6 attendance area for the South Guelph FI Centre will be bounded Stone Road East, Gordon Street and Clair Road East within the Guelph city limits, plus a small area of the Township of Puslinch.
The grade 7 and 8 program at the new school will include students graduating out of grade 6 from Fred A. Hamilton PS, which also gets a new JK-6 FI boundary.
Scenario 2 uses a couple of different strategies to head off projected overcrowding at Paisley Road PS. A grade shift reassigns all Grade 4 to 6 FI students to John McCrae. There is also an adjustment to Paisley Road’s current JK-6 FI boundary, with the new JK-3 FI boundary redrawn so that students living east of Edinburgh Road North are reassigned to John McCrae. The report outlines various grandparenting and sibling options for families living in the “transition area” bounded by Edinburgh, London Road and the Speed River.
The report proposes that John McCrae PS will have different attendance areas for JK-3 FI and Grades 4-8 FI. The new Zaduk Place school will relieve some of the projected overcrowding at John McCrae. Enrolment pressure at John McCrae will also be relieved by the start of a Grade 7 FI program at King George PS in 2014, and Grade 7/8 in 2015. King George will be taking Grade 7 and 8 FI students from Victory PS, Edward Johnson PS and its own boundary, a decision that was made in the recently completed boundary review for that school.
Feedback from the community and a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document are included with Report #3. A summary of input received indicates that one key concern for parents is the safety of students walking to John McCrae. Wellington-Dufferin-Student Transportation Services will be reviewing any safety issues and will determine transportation eligibility and recommended walking routes by January 2014.
A final decision for the New South Guelph JK-8 FI Centre Boundary Review is to be made at regular board meeting on March 26, 2013.
Although the deadline for online feedback has passed, parents are still welcome to speak to trustees as a delegation at the March 19 or 26 meetings. An application to appear as a delegation must be made in writing by noon of the previous Wednesday. Details are available through the boundary review’s web page at www.ugdsb.ca/sgbr.
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For more information:
Maggie McFadzen, Communications Officer
519-822-4420 ext.725
[email protected]
Mark Weidmark, Administrative Officer – Communications
519-822-4420 ext.544
[email protected]
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