Pending Ministry of Education approval, the St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB) is looking to close six schools in Chatham, and build two brand new ones.
SCCDSB officials say the Board of Trustees has approved the recommendations contained in the Chatham Elementary Schools Pupil Accommodation Review – Report for Approval presented at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the board in Wallaceburg.
The report also contains a number of special considerations drafted by the Pupil Accommodation Review Committee (PARC), regarding both the facility design and transition of students.
“As a result of the PARC’s hard work and commitment to this important process, we have a bold plan for the future, which will result in state-of- the-art learning environments and improved educational opportunities for Catholic students for many, many generations to come,” stated Dan Parr, director of education, in a press release.
SCCDSBofficials say it is important to note that final approval now rests with officials of the Ministry of Education.
Funding approval would result in the building of two new schools, one in north Chatham to serve the communities of St. Vincent, St. Agnes and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic schools; and one in south Chatham to serve the communities of St. Joseph, Georges P. Vanier and St. Ursula Catholic schools.
In addition the French Immersion program at Monsignor Uyen Catholic School would be relocated to a fully refurbished Our Lady of Fatima. The proposed timeline for the new schools to open and the French Immersion program to be relocated is September 2019.
“I want to thank the members of the Pupil Accommodation Review Committee, our parish representatives, the Chatham elementary school principals and Superintendent of Education Deb Crawford, for their leadership throughout this review,” stated John Van Heck, chair of the board, in a press release.
“We now await a response from the Ministry regarding our funding application.”
Here is a list of motions approved by the board on Tuesday:
– That, subject to funding approval from the Ontario Ministry of Education, the St. Clair Catholic District School Board approve the construction of two 564 pupil place schools – one in north Chatham for the students of Our Lady of Fatima, St. Agnes and St. Vincent Catholic schools with an anticipated opening of September 2019; and one in south Chatham for the students of Georges P. Vanier, St. Joseph and St. Ursula Catholic schools with an anticipated opening of September 2019.
– That, subject to funding approval from the Ontario Ministry of Education, the St. Clair Catholic District School Board approve the relocation of the French Immersion program from Monsignor Uyen Catholic School to a newly refurbished Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, with an anticipated opening date of September 2019.
– That the St. Clair Catholic District School Board approve the boundaries of the new south Chatham school to be redrawn as set out in Option A of the Initial Staff Report (September 2016); however, all current students and future siblings will be “grandfathered” and given the choice to attend either the newly constructed school, as directed under current boundaries, or be directed to St. Anne (Blenheim) or St. Joseph (Tilbury) as directed under the newly-drawn boundaries; and further that the current boundary for St. Vincent Catholic School not be changed, so that all current and future students in the existing St. Vincent boundary will be directed to the new north Chatham school.
– That the St. Clair Catholic District School Board direct staff to incorporate in the design of the new schools and the refurbished Our Lady of Fatima, wherever possible within the funding parameters set by the Ministry of Education, the special considerations with respect to facilities as outlined by the Pupil Accommodation Review Committee in the recommendations section of the February 14, 2017 Final Report.
– That the St. Clair Catholic District School Board direct staff to incorporate in the transition plan for students, wherever possible within funding parameters, the special considerations with respect to transition matters as outlined by the Pupil Accommodation Review Committee in the recommendations section of the February 14, 2017 Final Report.
– That effective September 2019, following the opening of the new schools and the relocation of the French Immersion program to Our Lady of Fatima, the school buildings for St. Agnes, St. Vincent, Monsignor Uyen, Georges P. Vanier, St. Joseph and St. Ursula be closed and declared surplus according to the terms of Ontario Regulation 444/98.
