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(Brockville) – The Upper Canada District School Board is about to begin the next stage of its ‘Boundary 2020’ process to study all of its families of schools to address program enhancement, consolidation and boundary alignment.  While the system-wide review seeks to close some schools and re-align school program boundaries, it is more than just a school closure/boundary review.  It presents an opportunity for Eastern Ontario to re-define and strengthen its local communities through an innovative and efficient long term vision for public education.

The Boundary 2020 process is guided by the Board’s School Closure Policy No. 413 (attached or visit http://www.ucdsb.on.ca/NR/rdonlyres/E5B03576-CEDF-434B-BFFB-731075659E9C/6693/Policy413SchoolClosureFeb2007Rev2.pdf) and the Pupil Accommodation Review Guidelines issued to all Ontario school boards by the Ministry of Education in October 2006.  Accordingly, four advisory Accommodation Review Committees (ARC’s) appointed by the Board will meet throughout 2007 to lead the public review of school closures and program boundary changes under consideration for each family of schools.  There is

one ARC assigned for each of the Board’s four regions.  Boundary 2020 is unique for addressing all of the Board’s boundary and closure needs as one complete package.

The Upper Canada District School Board is dedicated to the long term objective of its CREW (Communication, Equitable Distribution of Resources, Educational Programs, and Wellness) strategic plan; namely, a 90% graduation rate by the year 2020.  But the board is at risk of not achieving that objective due to declining enrolment caused by an aging population.  The board has more schools than are needed for the number of students it serves and, left unattended, the situation would increasingly obstruct its ability to provide quality education to future generations of students.

In addition to closing some schools, the UCDSB also needs to correct many of its school boundaries.  This is because the elementary school boundaries in place for many of its families of schools do not align with the high schools that they feed into.  There are also some challenges that need to be addressed in the offering of French Immersion programming.

Accountability to the CREW strategic plan requires open and honest dialogue with all of the Board’s partners in public education.  That is why the Board asked administration to undertake the Boundary 2020 review.

The UCDSB vision is to ensure an equitable and seamless educational journey for each student, from kindergarten to high school graduation.  This will be guided via Boundary 2020 by strengthening each family of schools arrangement.  School closures and changes to school boundaries, with due consideration of French immersion offerings, will be aligned for each family of schools to optimize long term opportunities for students and the larger communities where they live.

Everyone has an opportunity, and responsibility, to participate in the Boundary 2020 process; students, parents, trustees, teachers, administrators, and community leaders.  While the membership of the four regional Accommodation Review Committees is intended to mirror this wide range of involvement, the Board can only succeed by working together – with a collective respect for the viewpoint of others and for the objectives of the CREW strategic plan on behalf of future generations of students.

Meetings of the four regional ARC’s will take place throughout the fall of 2007.  Specific dates will be widely communicated once available.  Final decisions by the Upper Canada District School Board of Trustees are expected by May 2008.

  

The actual implementation of most school closure decisions is not expected to occur until January 2009 for the remainder of the 2008-09 school year, or September 2009 for the 2009-10 school year.  The implementation of some boundary alignment decisions and/or decisions concerning French immersion could occur as early as September 2008 for the 2008-09 school year.

The specific location for each regional ARC meeting has not been determined.  However, the four Board regional education centres would appear to be a logical and available possibility.  This information will be widely circulated once available.

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For more information please contact:

Phil Dawes                                                    

Co-Chair                                                       

Boundary 2020                                              

Upper Canada District School Board        

613-342-0371 ext. 1328                             

Charlotte Patterson

Co-Chair

Boundary 2020

Upper Canada District School Board

613-925-3244 ext. 3303 

Or visit our Web site at www.ucdsb.on.ca or e-mail us at boundary2020@ucdsb.on.ca