UGDSB staff recommends closing Kenilworth Public School

It was a tense night on Jan. 13 as Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) staff presented a report recommending Kenilworth Public School be closed in September.

A presentation to trustees at the business operations committee meeting on Tuesday night explained the “Wellington North Elementary Accommodation Review Staff Report #3.”

In November, the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC), composed of parents and community members, recommended the Kenilworth school remain open – and that $650,000 worth of capital upgrades be completed. The school would also need $250,000 in renovations to support full-day kindergarten.

After considering the ARC report staff cited several issues with keeping the school open.

In the event the school is closed, students will be redirected to Arthur Public School and Victoria Cross Public School in Mount Forest, utilizing Sideroad 3 as the boundary line.

James and Julie Cardinal, who have a son with autism attending senior kindergarten in Kenilworth, expressed concerns about uprooting their son to a larger school after all the progress he has made in a smaller school environment.

“All the kids there know my son and know his issues and if he’s having a meltdown they understand him,” James explained.

“Small schools with smaller numbers are so beneficial for kids like that. I don’t know how well he will do with 400 other students. In the warm, family atmosphere at that school, he’s really come out of his shell and if he is pulled out into a larger environment, it may cause a regression.”

Senior planner Heather Imm, who presented the UGDSB staff report,  cited a number of key areas of the ARC rationale that staff found problematic.

Imm said although Wellington North’s population is slated to grow over the next 10 years, an aging demographic means the number of school age children will actually decrease, with a mere 40 additional students projected for Arthur and Victoria Cross.

“Small schools such as Kenilworth are more sensitive to enrolment fluctuations than other schools,” Imm said. “Staff have indicated that over-crowding (in Arthur and Mount Forest) is not a concern and with lower enrolments this is even more the case.”

She said immediately following the possible closure of Kenilworth, only one portable would be required at Victoria Cross.

A lack of space and specialty staff was also cited as problematic, along with the prevalence of combined classes.

“Students at Kenilworth are in a combined class for almost every year and had the same teacher for more than one year – this is not ideal for some students,” said Imm.

“Kenilworth has been staffed with a triple-combined class. More staff, provide more experience and expertise … staff at Kenilworth create a positive school environment, but there are fewer opportunities.”

After the two reports were summarized, trustees had a number of questions and seemed unsure which was the better avenue going forward.

Board chair Mark Bailey asked if busing costs were taken into account and whether that cost would increase or decrease if the Kenilworth school were to close.

“We did review those options with the transportation consortium,” Imm responded. “They didn’t think there would be a large impact one way or the other.”

Bailey also wondered if there are increased instances of bullying when students move to new schools.

Superintendent Brent McDonald said during the transition process work is done to familiarize new students with the environment, community and their peers.

“We arrange visits and community barbecues to get people acquainted. The anecdotal evidence would suggest there is not an increase in bullying in transitions and there is often a consistent plan developed with the community, school councils and parents to make sure it is a welcoming environment for students,” McDonald said.

Trustee Susan Moziar said in the past she supported the closure of Kenilworth, but has since changed her mind and was shocked by the staff report.

“Kenilworth has been under a cloud for years – it has just been waiting to be shot down,” she says. “There’s Salem, Eramosa Public School, Ross R. MacKay and Alma, and we have never once questioned whether it was feasible to do all the improvements at those schools, but KPS has had this encumbrance for years and we never do anything at that school without questioning it.”

Moziar said schools such as Kenilworth need to be considered differently than urban facilities like those in Guelph.

“This is a rural school. If we want to promote agriculture, we shouldn’t be taking away their school which is at the heart of their community,” she said.

Trustee Bruce Schieck, who represents north Wellington and assisted the ARC committee, said possible closure has been a long-standing issue for Kenilworth. He hopes the board can finally reach some sort of conclusion.

“This is the third accommodation review that has taken place at Kenilworth. I have gone through two. That is approximately 25 years that Kenilworth has been on the radar,” he said.

“We’re going to make a decision and hopefully it’s the right one.”

Trustees are expected to  debate both reports at the Feb. 10 business operations committee meeting and to make a final decision on Feb. 24.

 

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