Downtown parents are concerned about moving their children as the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board makes plans to solve overcrowding issues in elementary schools as early as September.
Elgin Street Public School is close to being at full capacity. Already over capacity are First Avenue and Hopewell Avenue public schools. First Avenue, where the problem is the worst, has space for 400 students but is crammed with 550.
The board revealed six short-term proposals at a recent public meeting. Four of these include redirecting First Avenue Grade 6 French immersion students to Glashan Public School. The transfer students would remain there and continue in French immersion until eighth grade. Hopewell’s Grade 7 and 8 French immersion students could also end up at Glashan.
Parents are concerned over transportation and daycare conflicts, separated siblings, increased traffic and safety. They also fear Glashan is not equipped for early French immersion.
“It’s important to hear everything – ups and downs, ins and outs – from those involved whenever we make decisions like this,” says Jennifer McKenzie, trustee for Somerset-Kitchissippi, of parents’ participation.
The overcrowding has been noticed mainly in the past few years and the growing popularity with French immersion greatly increases pressure on school infrastructures, says McKenzie. Portable school buildings are not an option for the downtown area because space is so limited, she says.
“This is not an exhaustive list of options,” Karyn Ostafichuk, the board’s manager of planning, reminded the audience of mostly parents at the meeting. “We’re here to hear from you about what we’re missing.”
Mary Young, who has a son at Glashan, says she thinks the best solution so far is to move students to Glashan, which is under capacity.
“I understand taking the Grade 6s out of their home schools means they’d miss out on their graduation, getting to be the big kids on the playground and parents are upset about this,” she says.
“But there are ways to improve this disruption, like having the Grade 5s and 6s both come. That way they can all have a graduation party and move together.”
The advantage with Glashan, notes McKenzie, is that it has a late French immersion program. “They do have the resources, the French teachers, and the support structures for the program,” she assures.
As for Elgin, staff of the board presented only one option: placing both First Avenue and Elgin’s Grade 6 French immersion students in Glashan.
Scott McKenzie, who has two daughters in Grades 4 and 6 at Elgin and is also on the school’s parents’ council, sees the move to Glashan as a positive undertaking.
“Elgin is full,” he says, adding that one math class is given in the library, “so I don’t mind my kids going to Glashan and I also know a number of parents at Elgin would like to see an early French immersion program offered there as well as the late one.”
Members of the public have until Jan. 24 to submit their comments to the board. Staff of the board say they will draw on this feedback when coming up with long-term solutions.
The board will make a final decision regarding the options for shuffling students on Feb. 22.