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New elementary school in East Guelph to get head start in former Tytler PS

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
February 11, 2015

GUELPH, Ontario – A new elementary school on Couling Crescent in East Guelph is beginning to take shape before shovels hit the ground.

At a special board meeting on February 10 trustees of the Upper Grand District School Board voted unanimously to create an interim boundary for the proposed JK-8 French Immersion (FI) Centre.

The motion passed by trustees was one of a set of staff recommendations designed to address the issue of rapidly increasing enrolment at École Edward Johnson Public School in Guelph. Incoming cohorts of about 100 kindergarten students a year are overwhelming the capacity of the JK-6 FI Centre, which already has six portables and a four-room portapack.

JK to Grade 3 FI students living in the interim attendance area will move from Edward Johnson PS to temporary accommodations at the former Tytler Public School. If the Couling Crescent school is not ready for occupancy in 2016-2017 the school community holding at Tytler will grow to JK-4 FI.

Trustees also voted to grandfather Grade 4 to 6 FI students living in the interim boundary at Edward Johnson PS during the 2015-2016 school year, and allow them to continue at the school until they graduate to King George PS for grades 7 and 8.

The special board meeting concluded a compressed process that began with a public meeting in early January, and report to the Board outlining five options. In spite of the short timeframe the Board received considerable public input, including 82 written comments. “Option 5” was the choice of 74% of people who expressed a preference for one option, and became the staff recommendation supported by trustees.

A recommendation to conduct a full boundary review for the new school will be presented to trustees in Spring 2015. The full review would engage the King George PS community in order to make a final determination on the complete attendance area and grades for the new school.

The Board closed Tytler Public School in June 2013 due to declining enrolment in its JK-6 regular track program, sending those students to the newly reconstructed John Galt PS (formerly Laurine Avenue PS). A report to trustees indicated that the Tytler building has been well maintained and in continuous use by the Board and community since its closure as an elementary school. Only cosmetic touch-ups to the building and yard are required to ready it for September.

It is expected that much of the resources and equipment needed to support the temporary FI accommodation at Tytler will move to Couling Crescent when that facility is complete.

More information is available on the board website at www.ugdsb.ca/ejplan.

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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