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West Guelph French Immersion (FI) Boundary Review

Final Decision

At the September 26, 2017 Board meeting, Trustees approved several recommendations from the West Guelph French Immersion (FI) Boundary Review Final Report, including the implementation of Option 3. Option 3 includes the start of FI at Gateway Drive PS in 2018/19 with JK and SK, growing by one grade each year until it is JK-3 FI. Effective September 2023, Willow Road PS will accommodate Grades 4-5 FI from Gateway Drive PS. Willow Road PS will also grow by one grade each year until it accommodates Grades 4-8 FI in 2026/27. The recommendations also include a change to the grade configurations at Paisley Road PS and John McCrae PS. Paisley will grow by a grade a year to become JK-6 FI and will continue to attend John McCrae PS for 7-8 FI.

A letter was sent home to parents at each of the affected schools outlining the changes. The new school boundary maps and implementation timelines are posted below.

Maps

The following FI boundary maps are effective for the 2018/19 school year, with grandparenting exceptions:

Implementation

The table below highlights the implementation timelines at Gateway Drive PS and Willow Road PS:

  2018/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 25/26 26/27
Gateway Drive FI JK/SK JK-1 JK-2 JK-3 JK-4 JK-3 JK-3 JK-3 JK-3
 Willow Road FI           4-5 4-6 4-7 4-8

The table below highlights the implementation timelines for grade changes at Paisley Road PS and John McCrae PS:

  2018/19 19/20 20/21
Paisley Road FI JK-4 JK-5 JK-6
John McCrae PS JK-8
(5-8 FI feed from Paisley)		 JK-8
(6-8 FI feed from Paisley)		 JK-8
(7-8 FI feed from Paisley)

For more information on the boundary review process, please see the documents posted below.

Background

In January 2017, the report “The Annual French Review Process and JK Waitlist Process for the UGDSB French Immersion Program” was presented to Trustees. This report described a modified review process that would be undertaken to determine the feasibility of any new FI program(s) for 2018-19 and feasibility and location of any 2017-18 regional holding sites. 

In February 2017, Staff presented the 2016-2017 French Review Report. This report identified Willow Road PS as a regional holding school for the Guelph area on-time waitlisted students for the 2017/18 school year. The feasibility of a new 2018/19 FI program for West Guelph was also confirmed.

At the Program Committee meeting on May 2, 2017, staff presented the details for the new West Guelph FI program. Gateway Drive PS will accommodate JK-3 FI with students feeding into Grades 4-8 FI at Willow Road PS. The report indicated that Gateway Drive PS would begin with JK/SK in 2018/19 and grow by one grade per year. 

A Boundary Review process was needed to confirm the new JK-8 FI boundary for Gateway Drive PS and Willow Road PS while considering the impact of the new boundary on Paisley Road PS and John McCrae PS. The Initial Report of the boundary review was presented to Trustees at the Business Operations Committee meeting on May 9, 2017. This report describes Options 1-3, with Option 3 being the Staff Committee’s recommended option. Direction from the Program Committee meeting on May 2, 2017 resulted in the creation of an additional option (Option 4) where Gateway Drive PS begins JK-3 in 2018/19 instead of just JK/SK. Option 4 was presented to the Business Operations Committee along with the Initial Report. The Final Report was presented at the Business Operations Committee meeting on September 12, 2017, with a final decision made at the Board meeting on September 26, 2017.

Key Dates

May 9, 2017 Business Operations Committee Meeting
Initial Boundary Review Report Presented
May 23, 2017 Board Meeting
Decision on Initial Boundary Review Report
Opportunity for Delegations
June 21, 2017

Public Information Session
Gateway Drive PS – Gym
33 Gateway Drive, Guelph
7:00-9:00 pm
Display Boards
Presentation
Q & A
Aug 31, 2017

Pubic Feedback Deadline
Last day to provide input for consideration in the Final Report
Sept 12, 2017
 Business Operations Committee Meeting
Final Boundary Review Report Presented
Opportunity for Delegations 
    Sept 26, 2017    Board Meeting
Decision on Final Boundary Review Report
Opportunity for Delegations

Public Information Session

A public information session was held on Wednesday, June 21 at Gateway Drive PS. This meeting was an opportunity for parents and the public an opportunity to learn about Staff’s preferred boundary and ask questions or provide feedback on the review. Copies of the display boards and powerpoint presentation are posted below.

Documents