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HomeMy WebLinkAbout13 Report 4, 14 November 2011 COW (public) Barrhaven REPORT NO. 4, SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (PUBLIC) New Chapman Mills/South Nepean Area Review DATE: 14 November 2011 A special meeting of the Committee of the Whole (Public) was held this evening in the Board Room, 133 Greenbank Road, Ottawa, Ontario, commencing at 7:30 p.m. with Trustee Bronwyn Funiciello in the chair and the following trustees also in attendance: Donna Blackburn, Rob Campbell, Pam FitzGerald (electronic communication), Katie Holtzhauer, Jennifer McKenzie, Lynn Scott and John Shea. STAFF: Director of Education and Secretary of the Board, Jennifer Adams; Superintendent of Facilities, Michael Carson; Associate Director of Education, Walter Piovesan; Manager of Planning, Karyn Carty Ostafichuk; Manager of Board Services, Monica Ceschia; Planners, Ian Baxter and Lisa Gowans; Audio Visual Specialist, John MacKinnon and Board Committee/Coordinator, Bruce Fraser. 1. Call to Order Chair Funiciello called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. and welcomed everyone to the meeting. 2. Approval of Agenda Moved by Trustee Shea, THAT the agenda be approved. - Carried - 3. Public Question Period There were no public questions. 4. a. Report 11-189, new Chapman mills Elementary School Review of Boundaries, Programs and Grade Structures in South Nepean Your Committee had before it report 11-189 providing for information, staff’s recommended program, attendance boundary, and grade structure for the new Chapman Mills elementary school to be opened in South Nepean as well the revised attendance boundaries and grade structures for existing area elementary schools in association with the opening of the new Chapman Mills elementary school. Manager Ostafichuk noted that extraordinary residential growth in the Barrhaven area has taken place over the past ten years and is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. In response to accommodation pressures, the Board has constructed three new elementary schools and one new secondary school within the area. She advised that all but one of the seven elementary schools currently serving South Nepean area students require portables in order to provide additional instructional space and accommodation pressure is most severe at both Farley Special Committee of the Whole (Public) - 1 - 14 November 2011 New Chapman Mills/South Nepean Area Review Mowat Public School, and Barrhaven Public School which have 19 and 17 portables on site respectively. Manager Ostafichuk noted that accommodation pressures in the area will further increase as the result of the Ministry of Education’s Full-Day Kindergarten initiative. She advised that the need to open a number of new schools in the area, including one in the Chapman Mills portion of South Nepean was previously identified and that the 2006 Draft Capital Plan identified a planned opening date of 2010 for the new school. The project was also identified to the Ministry in the Board’s 2008 and January 2011 capital priorities submissions. Manager Ostafichuk noted that, prior to receipt of funding for the new Chapman Mills elementary school, the Board approved timelines and a consultation plan for a review of future boundaries, program offerings and grade structures in Barrhaven area schools. The review was to approve a program for the new Chapman Mills school, review and balance enrolments in existing schools as well as plan for the implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten. A working group, with representation from principals and parent councils from area schools, was formed and a series of meetings held in which the area trustees as well as representatives from various local community associations participated. The key objectives for the working group included: The implementation of an attendance boundary, grade structure and program offering for the new Chapman Mills Elementary School scheduled to open in September 2013; The alleviation of enrolment pressures at Barrhaven Public School and Farley Mowat Public School; The development of a plan for the accommodation of students at Farley Mowat Public School and Barrhaven Public School for the 2012-2013 school year; The creation of a set of attendance areas for study-area elementary schools which will provide for the introduction of a Full-Day Kindergarten Early Learning Program by 2015; and The implementation of attendance areas which account for the future opening of new schools within the developing Half Moon Bay Community. Manager Ostafichuk reviewed the discussions and developments of the working group meetings with respect to the expected opening date for a new school, program and attendance boundaries, revisions to existing grade structures and feeding patterns (for grades 7-12) as well as other measures to alleviate enrolment pressures in the short and longer terms. She advised that the parameters for the working group changed in June 2011 following an announcement of Ministry funding for a 600 pupil place elementary school in Chapman Mills. This permitted the expected September 2013 opening to be revised to January 2013 and the formation of the new school in September 2012. Staff revisited options and then presented a comprehensive accommodation plan for South Nepean schools to the Working Group prior to well attended public meeting in September. Staff slightly modified their recommendations in response to feedback from that meeting. Manager Ostafichuk reviewed the staff recommendation and noted that, although complex and not without challenges, it provides a logical sequence of events, alleviates pressure on Farley Mowat Public School, and brings students together prior to the opening of the new school in Chapman Mills. Manager Ostafichuk highlighted that the recommendation proposes an addition to Longfields Davidson Heights Secondary School be made a capital priority, and that, due to growth in the new Half Moon Bay area and the implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten, accommodation pressure on Barrhaven Public School will not be alleviated by the construction of the new school in Chapman Mills. In this respect, staff has identified the need for an elementary school in the new Half Moon Bay area to be opened by 2015 and is recommending changes to the Special Committee of the Whole (Public) - 2 - 14 November 2011 New Chapman Mills/South Nepean Area Review Barrhaven Public School and Cedarview Middle School attendance areas as an interim measure. She submitted that the recommendation (below for information) meets the original objectives set out for the working group. A. THAT attendance boundaries and programs for the new Chapman Mills elementary school be approved as per Appendix 5 of Report No. 11-189, with the school formed in September 2012 with a JK to 4 grade structure, advancing to JK to 5 for September 2013. B. THAT effective September 2012, the new Chapman Mills elementary school be accommodated temporarily at the former Parkwood Hills Public School site on Tiverton Drive until the new Chapman Mills elementary school building is completed. C. THAT the grade structures at Barrhaven Public School and Cedarview Middle School temporarily become JK-4 and 5-8 for the school years 2012-2013, 2013- 2014, and 2014-2015. D. THAT revised attendance boundaries for Barrhaven Public School, Farley Mowat Public School, Jockvale Elementary School, Mary Honeywell Elementary School and Cedarview Middle School be approved as per Appendix 6 of Report No. 11-189, effective September 2012. E. THAT revised attendance boundaries for John McCrae Secondary School and Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School be approved as per Appendix 7 of Report No. 11-189. F. THAT current Barrhaven Public School JK to 3 students (2011-2012) residing in the Half Moon Bay boundary area remain at Barrhaven Public School and that their siblings be given a one-time option to choose to attend that school. G. THAT current Barrhaven Public School JK to 3 students (2011-2012) residing in the Barrhaven Mews boundary area remain at Barrhaven Public School and that their siblings be given a one-time option to choose to attend that school. H. THAT current Barrhaven Public School grade 4 students (2011-2012) residing in the Half Moon Bay, Barrhaven Mews, Stonebridge East, and Hearts Desire boundary areas be directed to Cedarview Middle School for grade 5. I. THAT preferred busing be provided to those students attending the new Chapman Mills elementary school while it is temporarily accommodated at the former Parkwood Hills Public School site on Tiverton Drive. J. THAT busing be provided to and from existing childcare locations for those students whose existing childcare arrangement will no longer be within their designated school’s attendance boundary for September 2012 as a direct result of this study’s approved boundary changes, until such time as a new childcare arrangement is made for that student within their designated school attendance boundary or until the end of the 2012-2013 school year. Special Committee of the Whole (Public) - 3 - 14 November 2011 New Chapman Mills/South Nepean Area Review K. THAT an addition to Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School be made a capital priority and that preliminary design and site work be commenced. L. THAT a new elementary school in the Half Moon Bay portion of South Nepean be reconfirmed as a capital priority in order to ensure that funding is provided in a fashion which would permit a 2015 planned opening. M. THAT staff examine the feasibility of introducing the Full-Day Kindergarten program at the new Chapman Mills elementary school for September 2013, one year earlier than currently scheduled. Manager Ostafichuk highlighted the concerns received with respect to a number of elements included in the plan such as childcare, transportation, grade structure, program delivery and boundaries as well as the adjustments made to the recommendations to address concerns where possible. She noted that the majority of concerns received were in regard to the division of the Stonebridge community into two attendance areas. Manager Ostafichuk noted that delegations will be received at a Special Committee of the Whole (Public) meeting scheduled for 5 December 2011 and a final recommendation submitted to the Board at its 20 December 2011 meeting. b. Questions from Trustees Several Committee members acknowledged the high quality of the report and the work of Planners Ian Baxter and Lisa Gowans. Staff responded to a number of trustee queries and the following points were noted: Few concerns have been expressed by the community with respect to moving students who live south of Strandherd Drive from Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School (LDH) to John McCrae Secondary School. The recommendation was developed based on the elementary feeder school locations; The existing boundary for Barrhaven Public School is being recommended for adjustment to alleviate immediate accommodation pressure on the school and, in consideration of the future opening of a school in the Half Moon Bay area, staff was being mindful of historical connections amongst communities; Directing new students from Barrhaven Public School to Jockvale Elementary School instead of Mary Honeywell Elementary School is being recommended based on the future construction of a school in Half Moon Bay, high enrolment levels at Mary Honeywell Elementary School and to avoid students having to change elementary schools three times; The timeframe for the construction of an addition to LDH and the number of pupil places that will be required has not been determined at this time; Staff are recommending the addition to LDH due to acute accommodation pressure at the school and a lack of viable alternatives; With respect to the addition to LDH being made a capital priority, some trustees expressed the view that the Board’s Capital Priorities Plan for the district should be reviewed as a whole in order to consider other options; Special Committee of the Whole (Public) - 4 - 14 November 2011 New Chapman Mills/South Nepean Area Review Staff did not want the recommendation to pre-empt any recommendations that will originate from the Secondary School Review regarding the grade configuration for LDH; The recommendation will provide relief, and be an effective accommodation plan through to 2015, at which point a further, less extensive, review for the Barrhaven area could be required; The main recommendation is based on a new school being constructed by 2015 in Half Moon Bay and a delay could result in a recommendation with a more challenging sequence of events; School utilization rates appear lower than enrolment levels indicate as the calculation utilizes the actual student head count for classes such as half-day kindergarten; The Barrhaven area review process is the same as used for the Glebe / Centretown / Old Ottawa South Area except that the Working Group will be presenting the recommendation in the latter. Due to the funding announcement in June, staff developed a more complete plan for the Barrhaven area over the summer and presented it to the working group for review and comment; Principals and trustees participated in the meetings; There was consensus within the Working Group to present this plan and recommendation; Barrhaven Public School would be configured as a JK to 4 school until the construction of a new school in Half Moon Bay in 2015; Using the grade lines previously utilized in other accommodation reviews, such as the Orleans area, would have been too disruptive to schools and students; The Jock River is not viewed by the community as a physical boundary for the division of attendance areas; Some areas to the east and north-east were not considered as they would impact the long-term attendance boundaries for Berrigan Elementary School, Adrienne Clarkson Elementary School and Farley Mowat Public School; Preferred busing is temporary busing that could involve alternate bus sizes or different loading arrangements to ensure that the students from the area are transported to the former Parkwood Hills site with as little delay as possible; Preferred busing would cost approximately $300 to $500 thousand of which a percentage would be expended regardless of the new school location as it includes some advanced costs for Full-Day Kindergarten implementation; The Parkwood Hills site is being recommended to prevent adjustments being made to grade configuration or transferring classes from Farley Mowat Public School and Barrhaven Public School; Prior to the construction of Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School, students from the Barrhaven area were effectively transported to Winston Churchill Public School on a temporary basis; School sites are reaching the limits for maximum portable use; The implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten challenges are ongoing but would not impact the staff recommendation; and Changing Barrhaven Public School to a JK-4 grade configuration will permit the redirection of 112 students. Special Committee of the Whole (Public) - 5 - 14 November 2011 New Chapman Mills/South Nepean Area Review In response to requests from Committee members, staff agreed to: Provide Committee members with the existing boundary maps for each school; Consider leaving students from the Lockmaster Crescent area attached to the Manotick Community rather than being directed to John McCrae Secondary School in Barrhaven; Provide additional details with respect to projected transportation cost differentials for various scenarios; and Provide a cost comparison of the status quo, with additional portables, against the cost related to the use of the former Parkwood Hills site. Trustee Shea noted that Trustee Fisher had sent his regrets for being unable to attend the meeting and his thanks to staff for the report. Director Adams thanked Planning staff for the report, and their ongoing work for all of the accommodation reviews currently underway. 5.Next Steps Chair Funiciello noted that delegation submissions (up to 4 minutes) for the 05 December meeting are due on or before Thursday, 01 December at 4:00 p.m. and should be sent to the attention of Senior Board Coordinator, Maureen Strittmatter (maureen.strittmatter@ocdsb.ca ). 6. New Business There was no new business. 7. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:46 p.m. Jennifer Adams Bronwyn Funiciello, Chair, Director of Education and Committee of the Whole (Public) Secretary of the Board Special Committee of the Whole (Public) - 6 - 14 November 2011 New Chapman Mills/South Nepean Area Review