UCDSB issues report which calls for massive school closures

Nick Seebruch
UCDSB issues report which calls for massive school closures
CCVS students walk into the school with the toch in the Torch for Life Relay.

CORNWALL, Ontario – The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Has announced that it is considering a plan which would see 16 public elementary and high schools closed by the end of the year.

“There is a challenge currently facing the board that needs to be addressed,” reads a report released by the school board. “We have too much surplus classroom space in our schools. This is a challenge because the

funding school boards receive from the Ontario Ministry of Education to operate and maintain schools is increasingly based upon the amount of physical school space required given student enrollments.”

The UCDSB claims that it has 10, 000 surplus spaces in its schools and the closures must be considered to deal with corresponding budget shortfalls.

“The Upper Canada District School Board is compelled to address the realities of maintaining its aging inventory of school buildings, and that it has a surplus of almost 10,000 student spaces that will place a drain on future financial resources,” the report states. “Additionally, school consolidations can bring more students together and improve their access to educational programming experiences that are optimal.”

There will be an additional 13 schools considered for closure beyond 2016-2017 based on funding.

Some of the schools to be closed under the proposed plan include:

(*)Char-Lan District High School

Glengarry District High School (contingent on expansions in Vankleek Hill C.I.)

S.J. McLeod Public School

Maxville Public School (To be closed based on funding received from the Ministry of Education Roxmore Public School).

North Stormont Public School (To be closed based on funding received from the Ministry of Education for an expansion of Roxmore Public School).

Long Sault Public School

(*)Seaway District High School

(*)Rothwell-Osnabruck Secondary School

CCVS and St. Lawrence Secondary School are proposed to be closed and consolidated.

schools marked with (*) would close June 30, 2017 under the proposed plan.

The UCDSB trustees will be meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 28 in Brockville to consider the findings of the report.

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