By Krysta Krupica
Students studying English as a second language at St. Anthony may be forced to transfer if the Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board decides it can save space and money by closing the school.
St. Anthony is one of 13 schools throughout the region that the board is considering for closure. Of the nearly 260 students, 112 of the students are learning to read and write English.
Carl Andre, the school council president, says he’s especially concerned about what will happen to the ESL program if the school is shut down.
“If the students live (in Centretown) and need the ESL program here, why move it?” says Andre. “It isn’t something you want to move.”
John Dorner, the principal of St. Anthony, says the possible movement of the ESL students is a concern for the parents and the community. However, he says ESL is available at all the region’s Catholic schools.
“There is no question these students will need ESL at their new school if we close,” says Dorner. “Clearly they need help.”
The school board is considering closing schools with fewer students and moving them to other schools with space available in order to comply with the province’s funding model. In order to receive provincial money to build new schools in areas with growing populations, enrolment at existing schools must exceed the space available. According to the board’s report, there are currently 2,100 empty pupil places in regional Catholic schools.
St. Anthony was selected for possible closure because it can accommodate 505 students, but only has 260.
“It’s not our fault Ottawa is already built while areas like Nepean are growing,” says Angela Faundez, the parent of a Grade 3 student.
Andre says there is a need for ESL in Centretown. He says it doesn’t make sense to move students to another school, adding he wonders how the students would adjust to the move since they’re not yet proficient in English. But the board says the consolidation of schools will provide students with special needs an “increased opportunity” to be integrated into regular classrooms.
In addition to the potential loss of the ESL program, parents are concerned the closure will hurt the neighbourhood because of its long history in the community.
“It really is a part of our heritage,” says Faundez, who attended the school herself in the 1970s. “It’s tragic. When we were kids, school closure wasn’t even an issue.”
She says many of the families live close to the Booth Street school. Closing the school would eliminate the convenience for students as well as parents.
“If my son forgets his lunch or needs something, I’m close by,” she says of the school’s current location. “But if it moves, it’s harder to get there.”
Andre says the news that St. Anthony was chosen as an option for closure was unexpected. Last year, it was suggested it take students from Corpus Christi school.
“I’m shocked,” he says. “This change is quite a surprise.”
Dorner says his role right now is to make sure parents can have their concerns heard. He says community input is important to the board.
Closing St. Anthony would save the board nearly $90,000 annually. In addition, the board would avoid spending $900,000 in Facility Renewal costs for the building.
However, the board does say the closure would likely result in increased transportation costs during the first two or three years of the move.
Students would be bussed to St. Mary-St. Thomas Aquinas on Bayswater Avenue in Hintonburg, which is expected to cost $60,000 yearly. However the board says the cost will go down in a few years after routes are firmly established.
The board is expected to make its decision next month.