|
What
did the School Board Vote to Accept on
April
22, 2003?
Revised Report:
Public x
Private
Report.: 03-03-591
Date: March
27th, 2003
HALIFAX
REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD
Report of the Boundary Committee for Hammonds Plains/Bedford:
PURPOSE:
To recommend a
temporary placement for students attending Hammonds Plains
Consolidated and Madeline Symonds Middle School.
BACKGROUND:
The boundary
review was initiated by motion of the Board on May
28, 2002. One
purpose of the review was to address the overcrowding at Hammonds
Plains Consolidated Elementary School and Madeline Symonds Middle School.
The over
crowding in the Hammonds Plains corridor was identified as a concern
by the Board in its Capital Construction Submission to the Province
on February 6, 2002 (Report No. 02-02-459). An addendum to that
report requesting the construction of a new school to alleviate the
crowding and to serve anticipated development in the Kingswood
-Kearney Lake -Bedford South -Bedford West area was approved by the
Board on April 8th, 2002. (Report No. 02 -04 -07). The Committee was
formed to adjust the boundary so as to alleviate the crowding until
such time as additional classroom capacity was available.
The Committee
was formed and met on December 02, 2002 and on January 6, 13, 20,
2003. Six scenarios for adjusting enrolments in the two schools were
evaluated and an interim recommendation was prepared. The interim
recommendation was publicized and a public meeting was held on
January 27th to receive input from the public. The committee has met
subsequently and on March 24th finalized its recommendations. Four
scenarios concerning students from the Kingswood area were evaluated
using the criteria set out in Board procedures. The preferred
scenario was advanced to the Executive Council and
was referred
to the Committee of the Whole on April 1, 2003.
CONTENT:
Since the
Boundary Review Committee was created, the Department of Education
has announced that it will build a new school in the Hammonds Plains
area, to open in September 2005. As a result of this announcement;
the Superintendent, consulted with staff from Hammonds Plains
Consolidated and Madeline Symonds Middle Schools, and reached a
decision to seek to suspend the recommendations of the committee. In
place of the committee's recommendation she is recommending a
temporary placement until such a time as the Department of Education
selection committee determines a permanent location for the new
school and a firm opening date is determined.
The
details of this temporary placement are:
Year One
-Grades Primary to five students from designated streets in the
eastern portion of Kingswood will attend Rockingham Elementary for
the next two school years, with the exception of the September 2003
Grade 5 French immersion lead class who will attend Madeline Symonds
Year Two
-Temporary placement will be extended to including incoming primaries
and the Grade Six students will remain at Rockingham
Number of
students moved 112 (In first year) - 130
(in 2nd year)
HPC enrolment 711
HPC number of
classes 27
Portables
required 7
MSMS enrolment 568
MSMS number of
classes 21
Rockingham
enrolment 433
Rockingham
number of classes 17
RATIONALE:
COST:
NA
FUNDING: NA
TIMELINE:
This boundary adjustment will take effect as of the 2003-2004 school year.
APPENDICES: None
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the Board
suspend the Boundary Review process and direct the Superintendent to
implement the temporary placement as outlined in the report, all in
accordance with the Creating School Populations Policy.
COMMUNICATIONS:
From:
For further
information please contact ...
Carole Olsen,
Superintendent colsen@hrsb.ns.ca 464-2312
Don Buck,
Senior Staff Advisor dbuck@hrsb.ns.ca 464-2292
Jodene
Dunleavy, Research and Policy Advisor jdunleavy@hrsb.ns.ca 464-2003
To:
Committee of
the Whole - April 1,2003
Halifax
Regional School Board - April 22th, 2003
file:
sthomas/Don Buck Correspondence/Hammonds Plains/Report 591
Dated: April
22, 2003. |
