The final recommendations of proposed boundary changes at Ponsonby Public School may result in students switching from their local school to Elora Public School as of Grade 6.
But when that happens is still up in the air.
The third and final report of the Ponsonby PS Boundary Review was posted to the Upper Grand District School Board website, in advance to the presentation to trustees on Dec. 10.
The report addresses projected enrolment pressures at Ponsonby PS. Also included in the review is Elora PS.
The report recommends a shift of Ponsonby PS. Grade 6 students to Elora PS, creating a JK-5 program at Ponsonby PS. Ponsonby students currently graduate to Elora PS for Grades 7 and 8.
No changes to the boundaries of Ponsonby PS or Elora PS were recommended.
The grade shift was first proposed as “Scenario 1” in an earlier report. The scenario is unchanged in the final report, but the proposed implementation timelines are different.
Previously, it was anticipated that the grade shift would take effect as of September 2015. Lower than expected Junior Kindergarten enrolment at Ponsonby PS for the current school year (based on actual numbers on Oct. 31) has prompted the suggestion of a flexible approach.
The recommendation now is that all Grade 6 students are to remain at Ponsonby PS, subject to annual enrolment monitoring. If approved, the plan will be to move Grade 6 students from Ponsonby to Elora in 2015-2016 or any year thereafter, if enrolment projections indicate that there will be more than 203 students in a coming September.
The Ponsonby school building has a capacity of 190 pupil places. The use of portables is limited by electrical and septic constraints. Currently there are no portables on the site.
If there will be a change to an upcoming school year, parents would be informed by the end of February. Following such a move the location of the Grade 6 class would no longer be reviewed annually, and would remain at Elora PS.
Enrolment growth at Ponsonby PS resulted from the introduction of Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) in 2012. Students are also coming from new residential housing in the South Ridge development at Bridge Street and First Line on the south edge of Elora. South Ridge is within the existing boundary for Ponsonby PS.
Staff considered a scenario that would have reassigned the South Ridge subdivision area to Elora PS, however due to the size of the development it would have removed too many students from Ponsonby PS and, conversely, added too much pressure to Elora PS. The capacity of Elora PS is 475 pupil places, with a current enrolment of 452.
Report #3 and earlier documents related to the boundary review are available online at: www.ugdsb.on.ca/pbr
