Phelps students rally to save school

Students and parents of Phelps Public School in Redbridge officially kicked off their save our school campaign outside of the Near North District School Board on Airport Road this evening.

Looking to the future as the board struggles with budget short falls, ageing buildings and population decreases, they are searching for ways to make ends meet which includes reductions and school closures. Faced with the tough job ahead under ministry guidlines the board formed the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) comprised of members from the general public to look at alternatives and make recommendations, and in the end the ARC came back to the board recommending school closures and a proposed list where Phelps made the list.

Spokesperson for the group Chastity Saudino says the community is prepared to lobby the board at every chance to save the hub of their community.

“We want to make sure the trustees hear us and understand that we are not going to move just so they can save a buck,” she states.

Saudino says that the group understands that it is not enough to just to protest and say ‘no’ not our school and expect the board to spare Phelps, she says it is imperative to have evidence based case one which they are developing daily.

“Tons of kids in this area are bused to town, bus them to our school ... It’s a shorter distance,” she suggests.

She also stressed that the parents and concerned citizens have four opportunities between now and May to lobby the board trustees and they intend to protest at the board every meeting.

“We can’t lose the Hub of the community,” she says.

“If we don’t have it the community will be lost.”

Near North Board Chair Al Bottomley says with the flawed funding formula schools will have to close, but says with that in mind the ARC must also look at what harm the closure will have on the students as well as the community.

Bottomley says when looking at a school like Phelps that only has 86 kids attending yet is built to house 212 pupils the board is experiencing unnecessary costs.

“Imagine the waste of energy,” he says.

“With the per pupil formula small schools look economically bad,” he says.

“On paper it looks like we should close the school.”

Bottomley says Phelps group has an opportunity to make their case to the ARC and likes Saudino’s suggestion of sending students to Phelps.

“It’s an interesting proposition and I like that suggestion,” he says.

“I have no problem with that.”