Parents at Lisgar Collegiate Institute are concerned that the proposed closing of Rideau High School might take up Lisgar’s slots for gifted students.
About 40 parents attended the school council meeting Wednesday night to discuss possible implications of students redirecting from Rideau High School, which might be closing next September as recommended by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
The latest staff review is recommending closing Rideau in 2010 due to low enrolment, and redirecting 65 students to Lisgar next year and more to come in years after.
“We can’t take a position at this point. We’re still expecting the rest of the reviews on gifted program and cross-boundary transfers to come out,” said Rachel Eugster, who co-chairs the parents council.
Well-known for its gifted and music programs, Lisgar is already at its capacity with about 1,080 students and has drawn 100 cross-boundary transfer students this September, about half of which are gifted students. But if they take in 65 students from Rideau, Lisgar will likely face a zero transfer cap next year and more years to come as anticipated by the review, which means gifted students from outside of the boundary may not be able to attend Lisgar.
Parent Gertrud Jeewanjee also noted that previous board report concludes that at least 300 students are needed at a high school to offer enough number of gifted-program courses for success.
“If it means less gifted students, then it is not only about number,” says Jeewanjee.
Trustees are scheduled to debate on the proposal on Nov. 23 and to vote on Dec. 15 to decide the fate of Rideau, which some Lisgar parents said would have a domino effect on all schools affected.