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Current Zone 1 and Board News

Especially for Zone 1, this web page is intended to provide information about issues currently under discussion that may have significance for Zone 1 school communities, Board consultation processes relevant to Zone 1 school communities, and recent Board decisions likely to be of interest to Zone 1 school communities.

Of General Interest:

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT SCHOOL "FEES" AND FUNDRAISING.  The provincial government is in the process of developing new guidlines about school fees and fundraising.  I would like to know your views about charges for enhancements to the curriculum and learning resources, field trips, consumable materials, etc., and school fundraising in general.  How much school fundraising is reasonable?  For what kinds of things?  Please send your comments to me via e-mail no later than 31 October, as background to ongoing discussions in the OCDSB and provincially.

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION: BUS ROUTES.   Student bus routes for September 2010 are posted at http://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca/content.php?sec=11 .  Your bus schedule and route may have changed from last year's, as student addresses change and bus routes are adjusted accordingly.  If you have changed your home address or your caregiver address over the summer, please notify your child's school as soon as possible, so that the new information can be included in bus route planning.  Remember that your caregiver address should be within the attendance boundary for your child's school to ensure bus transportation, assuming the address is eligible by distance (at least 0.8 km from school for JK-SK, 1.6 km from school for Grades 1-6, 3.0 km from school for Grades 7-8).  Secondary students living outside the Urban Transit Area are eligible for yellow bus transportation if their address is more than 3.0 km from their designated school.

West Carleton and rural Kanata Areas:

No area-specific highlights at this time.

Rideau Area:

KARS AND RIDEAU VALLEY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE.  It's still full speed ahead for construction of the new addition to Rideau Valley Middle School, which is expected to be ready to house Kars Public School students as of January 2011.  The move will likely take place over the Christmas Break.  Plans are being made to relocate the Cenotaph from its current position in front of Kars Public School to a more spacious location by the new bus loop for the schools.  The old school bell will also be moved to a location near the entrance to Rideau Valley Middle School, prior to the demolition of the old Kars school building.  The cooperation of the Kars Recreation Association, local representatives of Manotick Legion Branch 314 and city councillor Glenn Brooks has been greatly appreciated through the planning process.

Goulbourn and Stittsville Area:

ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT 111 HARTSMERE.  Staff recommendations for the attendance boundary for our new school are now available.  It is recommended that the new school be a dual-track English and Early French Immersion school for grades JK to 6, with full-day kindergarten.   The English program boundary is recommended to be bounded by Abbott Street to the north and Fallowfield Road to the south; the Early French Immersion program boundary is recommended to include all of the new English program boundary plus the Richmond attendance area for Early French Immersion.  Stittsville Public School is recommended to become a JK to grade 6 school.  Students currently at Stittsville PS and A. Lorne Cassidy ES will be affected.  A Middle French Immersion program is recommended for A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School.  OCDSB staff are also recommending a phased approach to minimize disruption.  Please review the recommendations   here .  The Business Services Committee will receive the report for information on 13 October; the meeting is public, at 133 Greenbank Road.  Delegations commenting on the recommendations will be heard at a meeting of the Board in November (date to be confirmed) before a final decisions is made.

SOD-TURNING FOR NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT 111 HARTSMERE ON 22 OCTOBER.   The tender has been awarded for building our new elementary school at 111 Hartmere Drive, and a brief sod-turning ceremony will be held at the school site at 11 a.m. on 22 October.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN FOR SEPTEMBER 2011.  The new Early Learning Program, with full-day kindergarten programs for Junior and Senior Kindergarten students, will be introduced at Munster Elementary School and at our new elementary school at 111 Hartsmere Drive in Stittsville as of September 2011.  Extended-day childcare programs will be offered at these sites subject to sufficient registration.

PROGRESS TOWARDS A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR STITTSVILLE, IN ADDITION TO SOUTH CARLETON HIGH SCHOOL.  Recognizing the rapid growth in Stittsville, the Board has identified a public high school for Stittsville among its top priorities for new school construction. South Carleton High School will continue to be needed to serve the areas of rural Goulbourn and Rideau.  Our challenge, as always, will be obtaining capital funding for this school in a timely way.  OCDSB staff presented the business case for a Stittsville high school to the Ministry of Education in the fall of 2009.  Since that time, they have continued to press Ministry staff for funding approval, and the need has also been highlighted to Minister of Education Leona Dombrowsky and to area MPP Norm Sterling, who made a statement in the Legislature on 29 September, outlining the need for this school.  The Minister has now agreed to meet with Mr. Sterling and school board representatives later this year.  Your letters and e-mails outlining the need for a public high school in the large, growing community of Stittsville, sent to the Minister and our MPP, and copied to me as area trustee, are much appreciated.

Page last modified 11 October 2010
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