The third and final report of the James McQueen PS Boundary Review has been posted to the Upper Grand District School Board website at www.ugdsb.on.ca/jmbr.
The document was presented to the business operations committee earlier this week.
Trustees will make a final decision on Jan. 28.
The boundary review was launched in October in response to projected enrolment pressures at James McQueen PS, one of 22 schools in the board where full-day Kindergarten will be introduced in September.
The review considered both regular track (RT) and French Immersion (FI) programs, and also involved John Black PS and JD Hogarth PS.
The report recommends implementation of the previously released “Scenario 1”, which includes the creation of a new primary FI program at John Black PS, and a grade shift of James McQueen PS Grade 6 regular students to J.D. Hogarth PS.
Once fully implemented, grade structures at the three schools would be:
– James McQueen PS – JK-5 RT, JK-3 FI for residents generally west of Highway 6 and including Victoria Terrace RT attendance area;
– J.D. Hogarth PS – JK-8 RT, 4-8 FI; and,
– John Black PS – JK-8 RT, JK-3 FI for residents generally east of Highway 6.
There are no proposed changes to the James McQueen RT boundary, just the grade shift.
Effective September 2014 James McQueen PS would offer a JK-5 RT program, with students attending JD Hogarth for Grades 6 to 8.
It was originally proposed that the new FI program at John Black PS would start with JK-Grade 1, but based on parental concerns it is now suggested that John Black start with JK-Grade 2 FI in September 2014, growing to JK-3 FI the following year.
James McQueen students who are entering Grade 3 FI this September, and who also live in the John Black FI attendance area, would be grandfathered for one year.
At JD Hogarth PS the FI program will expand in September 2014 to Grades 4 to 8 (from the current Grade 5 to 8 FI).
Grade 4 FI will not be offered at James McQueen PS in the coming year.
Public input closed on Dec. 20, to allow time for the writing of the final report.
Members of the public are still welcome to make presentations to trustees at upcoming meetings on Jan. 21 and 28, after pre-registering as a delegation.
Details are on the board website.
