Partnerships key to school board sustainability says Dobbs

Candidate for trustee of the Near North District School Board John Dobbs, says in a news release that partnerships with other community groups and boards can be one the solutions to sustainability and eventually growth.

He points to Northern Secondary School in West Nipissing which houses two groups of students from two different boards. 

"It allows students to attend school in their municipality and not need to spend three to four hours a day being bused to and from school. The benefit also extends to the boards as there was no need to absorb higher transportation costs, nor the cost of constructing a new facility. The operational and capital expenses of the facility are then split by both boards.

"This is just one solution that can be brought forward as an alternative to shutting schools down and promoting the mindset that bigger and newer is better. This and other ideas, however, can only be achieved if everyone is included in the conversation. "

Dobbs says the current board has chosen "a path of secretiveness and admonishing those who present problems or solutions and muting their voices. In the end, when push came to shove, they have chosen to blame a newly elected provincial government for delays.

"Delays, and non-decisions create an air of uncertainty, and this is not only unfair to students, parents, and faculty, but the harm it is doing can have long-term negative effects."