West Prince residents listen Tuesday as Bob Andrews explains the public consultation process being followed as part of the review of schools in the P.E.I. Public Schools Branch.
That’s when they are encouraged to report to Westisle Composite High School armed with recommendations on how to address the under-utilization issue for the nine buildings that make up the Westisle Family of Schools.
Utilization in the nine schools combined is currently at 60 per cent and is projected to decline to 53 per cent by 2022, Bob Andrews, who is leading the public consultation process advised. Only one school is expected to achieve modest growth during that period.
The question that area residents are being asked to help him answer is what can be done about the situation and how can the resources best be spent.
What some parents wondered, though, is what assurances do they have that whatever changes are made will mean a better distribution of resources for their children, the students of the Westisle Family of Schools.
It is a question Andrews said is not his to answer, although he speculated any savings realized would be redistributed within the education system.
Alberton teacher DanaLee Lynch-Veinnotte wanted to make sure Andrews is aware the schools also serve their communities in other ways, such as in hosting sport and social functions. She said some families might not have the means to enable their children to attend activities outside of school hours if the school in their community closed and they were bussed further away.
“I personally have transported children to different events, because their families didn’t have the means of getting them somewhere,” she said, adding not all teachers are comfortable getting the $2 million liability insurance to transport.
“You just see on some of their faces when they hear they need a drive to get somewhere, and they automatically count themselves out because they just know they can’t get there,” she said in describing how distance becomes a burden.
Cyndi Rix expressed concern about the short timeline of the consultation process, announced in September and a five-step process to be completed and decisions made in time for the 2017-18 school year.
“These are large decisions for our children. How can that much information be gathered in such a short span of time and these changes implemented in September of 2017?” she asked.
“It’s very unfair for the people of West Prince to have to do that, and to live under the stress of this.”
Andrews said he needs members of the public to tell him how potential changes would impact their children.
Although the public consultation for the Westisle Family of Schools is set for Nov 8, Andrews said more meetings will be arranged if needed. He said he is also available to meet with stakeholder groups and he will accept input by letter, email and in person, but he needs to have the input by November 30 so that he can have recommendations ready to present in early January. Another 60-day consultation process will follow.
