Road map for change: Consultations for P.E.I. school review begin

Round one of public consultations on P.E.I.'s review of its public schools begins Monday, laying the groundwork for a school system that could look considerably different a year from now.

School reconfigurations, rezoning, and school closures are all possible outcomes of the process.

The first of the meetings focuses on the Charlottetown Rural family of schools, with seven more meetings held over the next two weeks.

• School review consultations start Monday
• Is my school under review? A list of Island schools and whether they are under review

The meetings will disseminate school population data and enrollment projectionscompiled by the Public Schools Branch which shows some overcrowded schools are operating well above the student capacity they were designed for, while others operate far below capacity.

Laying the groundwork

Bob Andrews, school reorganization project manager with the P.E.I. Public Schools Branch, said this first round of public meetings will lay the groundwork for a second series of meetings to begin next month.

"We're not going to in this first series of meetings, get into any changes or proposed changes [to any schools] because we haven't developed any options yet," he said.

"That will be the next step. My intent tonight is to give people all the information around how they can participate in the next step, including what information I need from them that maybe we haven't yet in our review of schools to date."

Andrews said in this first round of public meetings he'll also be ready to answer questions about the data the Public Schools Branch has compiled.

Round two to include 'viable options for change'

A second round of public consultations in the six families of schools identified for further study will take place in early November.

It's at those meetings Andrews said he hopes the public will come forward "with some viable options for change to address the issues, whether it's an overcrowding issue or an under utilization issue," he said.

• School rezoning, possible closures, coming for next school year

"That's the key thing is, I won't be just developing options on my own. But we're hoping that we engage the stakeholders in a school community to help come up with some viable options for school change."

Report expected in early 2017

It will fall to Andrews to decide upon recommendations to present to the Public Schools Branch in a report expected sometime near the beginning of 2017.

• P.E.I. Home and School Association supports review of schools
• A tale of two schools: One's half empty, one's extra full

At that point, there will be a further 60 days for the public to provide feedback on how any recommended changes will affect students and Island communities. Those 60 days will include at least one more public meeting.

After those 60 days are up, it'll be up to the three directors of the Public Schools Branch to vote on whether to implement any recommended changes, which are expected to be implemented before the start of the new school year in September 2017.

Any school closures would require cabinet approval from the provincial government.

Do what's best for students, says Donagh Home and School

The chair of the Donagh Regional Home and School Association Bobbi Ford said she's planning to attend tonight's meeting for the Charlottetown Rural family of schools.

According to the Public Schools Branch, Donagh Regional is operating at just under 50 per cent capacity, with a population of 123 students. Parents have long been concerned about the school's future.

"We just want to make sure that, whatever they decide at the end of the day, that's it's really the students [who are] the focus of their decision," Ford said.

"Not necessarily what's economically the best decision, but what's best for the students."

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