January 2012 Update

Happy New Year!

ORCHARD PARK P.S. BOUNDARY REVIEW

The deadline for submitting your request to speak form at the January 24th school board meeting regarding the Orchard Park P.S boundary review is Wed, January 11th. The form and the timeline for the Board’s decision are available here.

One of the important issues regarding the possible change to include students from Eagle Heights P.S. has been whether or not there will be portables at Orchard Park P.S. There have been two different answers from the Board on this question. These are shown below:

A) From a parent who has been attending all of the meetings on the boundary review question:

As confirmed by Board staff (Kevin Bushell) at two of the TVDSB meetings, portables will be necessary to accommodate boundary review option 2 at Orchard Park.

To be clear I think your community notice should state that portables are part of the “enhancements” option as any school additions to accommodate increased population from the boundary review would see the school renovated for the 2013 projections only. Further increases would be accommodated through portables.

B) From a letter to and response from the Board superintendent leading this process:

Marion:

I was wondering if you could clear up a question regarding the proposed options.

Option 2 for Orchard Park calls for up to 395 students in the period 2013 to 2016. I have heard both that there would be no portables (the building project would bring the OTG high enough) and that there would be up to 4 portables (from the meeting held Monday). Are you able to clarify whether the site would require portables during the projected 2013-2016 time frame? If they are not required under the current projection, what enrollment figure would require the installation of portables?

Thank you in advance.

Sandy Levin
President
Orchard Park/Sherwood Forest Ratepayers

Sandy:

In Scenerio #2, our enrolment projections indicate that Orchard Park’s student population may increase to 393 by 2016. When we build new schools and/or additions, the Ministry of Education may choose to finance the project up to the anticipated enrolment at the time of the school opening. In scenario #2, as proposed, the student enrolment for 2013 is estimated to be approximately 351 students; thus, the school would be built to accommodate these students. This does not not mean that the 352nd student would necessitate the need for a portable as we will be able to accommodate some more students within the actual building. The parameters under which we must conform regarding class size are defined by Ministry of Education primary class size caps as well as contractual caps for junior and intermediate classes. In sum, there is no definite number which would necessitate portables being on site; the infringement of class size caps necessitates this need.

I trust this provides the requested clarification.

Thanks,

Marion Moynihan
Superintendent of Education
Glencoe/Medway/North Middlesex/Strathroy Community of Schools
Thames Valley District School Board

SHERWOOD FOREST PUBLIC SCHOOL SITE

We are meeting again this month to review the viability of the various options for the Sherwood Forest School site which were presented at the community meeting in November. If you are interested in attending, please contact Sandy Levin and let himi know which of the following time slots work for you. A meeting location will be announced shortly:

• Sunday Jan 8 from 2 to 4
• Sunday Jan 8 7 to 9 pm
• Mon, Jan 9 from 7 to 9 pm
• Tues, Jan 10 from 7 to 9 pm
• Monday, Jan 16 from 7 to 9 pm
• Sunday, Jan 22 from 2 to 4
• Sunday Jan 22 from 7 to 9 pm
• Monday, Jan 23 from 7 to 9

POLICE SERVICES CONSULTATION

Sandy Levin will be attending a community consultation with the Police Services Board on Tuesday, January 10th. This is their tri-annual planning process and they are required to seek input from neighbourhoods. Please contact Sandy if you have items that you would like him to raise at the meeting.

BRESCIA UPDATE

No date for the public meeting before a committee of city council has been set. Stay tuned.

MEDWAY SENIORS COMMITTEE

On Wed, January 11th, there is another meeting of the Medway Seniors Committee (for those 55 and up) at 1:30 p.m. at the Medway Community Centre. The goal is to set up a seniors’ information display in the Sherwood Forest Mall in conjunction with the Shoppers Drug Mart Seniors’ day at the end of January.

CITY BUDGET

The city’s budget is out and there is a placeholder in its capital budget for the widening of Sarnia Road from Wonderland to Sleightholme in 2021. Other than funds to start the Conservation Master Plan for the Medway Valley Heritage Forest, there are no other big ticket items listed for our area.