.jpg)
Big changes are coming to students and parents in the Burk's Falls area.
In a news release, the Near North District School Board says that at the regular meeting of the Board on Tuesday, June 24, Trustees made their final decision and accepted the recommendation put forth by the ARC committee regarding the schools under review in the Burk’s Falls area.
An Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) is a board appointed committee formed to ensure the Board conducts a consultative and transparent review of a group of schools in a defined area.
It is a public consultation process required by the Ministry of Education when school boards are determining the future of a school or group of schools. Through this process parents and community members are able to discuss the needs of a school community.
The following motion was passed:
Effective September 2016, the Board will close M.A. Wittick Public School and move JK-6 students to a refurbished Land of Lakes School, keep Magnetawan Central open and send Land of Lakes Public School Grade 7-8 students back to their home schools. French Immersion students from Grades 5-8 would continue to attend the new Land of Lakes Public School, and further;
That the Board accept the following Policy in regard to secondary school attendance and transportation as it pertains to Almaguin Highlands Secondary School and its feeder schools.
1. The Near North District School Board is committed to providing transportation in an efficient and cost effective fashion for its secondary students subject to eligibility and distance. The Board also expects students to attend their home zoned school.
2. Transportation will be provided for Almaguin region secondary students based on their residential address to Almaguin Highlands Secondary School.
Criteria for determining eligibility for transportation is based on the existing boundaries of the following feeder schools: South Shore, Mapleridge, Argyle, South River, Sundridge.
Students residing in these areas are eligible for transportation to Almaguin Secondary School only.
3. Should a student choose to attend a secondary school other than Almaguin they are ineligible for transportation. Under no circumstances will the board incur any financial cost.
4. An appeal committee will be established on an “as needed” basis and will consist of two Trustees and two staff persons. Ordinarily, one of the Trustees will be the Trustee elected from the zone where the student resides. This committee will be the final decision making authority in secondary attendance and transportation issues
The ARC for the Burk’s Falls area schools included Almaguin Highlands Secondary School and Land of Lakes, M.A. Wittick, Magnetawan Central, South River and Sundridge Centennial public schools.
More information on the accommodation review for the Burk’s Falls area schools can be found on the Board’s website at http://www.nearnorthschools.ca/community/accomodation-review/
The Board is currently involved in accommodation reviews across the district.
