This is an archive of past Town Hall posts. The discussion continues at our 'News and Views' blog site.
Haultain and Dieppe to close
In a stunning yet unsurprising failure of flexibility and foresight, public school trustees last night voted to strip yet two more Regina neighbourhoods of their schools. Before the vote, Haultain School Community Council chair Lara Quintin called on the board to make an exception to the 10-Year Plan’s rigid program model of 200 to 400 students. “It’s not irresponsible or inequitable to invest more in a community that has substantially less, a community with barriers to overcome and dangers to consider,” she said.
Unfortunately, this only lent fuel to trustee Barbara Young’s argument that certain Regina neighbourhoods and families fail their children – and therefore the school board must remove the children from their home environments and place them in new, bigger “learning families” of 60 to 70 students. She then explained the “learning families” will be grouped according to “challenge levels.” In less linguistically sophisticated circles, this is known as ‘separating the smarties from the dummies.’ We can only hope our experience will be different than in the U.S., where researchers observe that this approach is often accompanied by alarming levels of racial and class segregation within schools. Meanwhile, nothing was said about working with the real families and communities students already have.
“What is our primary mandate? In a word it’s education,” said trustee Angela Fraser, adding that the affected students can be educated elsewhere. Tim Stobbs voted against closing Dieppe School because of potential over-crowding at McLurg, but voted in favour of closing Haultain, saying that the board must stick to its program model of 200 to 400 students without exception. Trustees Carla Beck and Cindy Anderson both argued to keep the schools open. “Haultain is a school of necessity,” said Anderson, adding that she is worried about removing needed schools from needy neighbourhoods. She also noted that on average 92 per cent of Dieppe and Haultain students walk to school, a healthy practice that will be lost with the closures.
Carla Beck suggested it was time to halt the closures and take stock of the plan as a whole. “It seems to me we may have reached the end for the need for closures,” she said, citing rising birth rates and population growth. She argued the board has tools available to affect enrolment levels in individual schools, such as amending catchment areas and busing patterns. “We have options. We can work with communities to bolster enrolment,” she said.
Interestingly, Haultain’s K-8 enrolment was reported at 108 during the meeting, up from 104 in October. Combined with 17 pre-kindergarten students, by the time the vote was taken, the school was just 15 students short of the board’s 140 cut-off. One wonders if trustees were aware that if they did not move to close the school now, its continued growth would soon place it above the mark, making closure more difficult to defend.
In the end, trustees Fraser, Gagne, West and Young voted to close Dieppe. Stobbs, Beck and Anderson voted against closure. Fraser, Gagne, West, Young and Stobbs voted to close Haultain, while Beck and Anderson voted against.
Those who voted in favour of closure all stated they had genuinely listened to the affected communities – a statement as patronizing as it is false. Had they listened, the schools would not be closing.
Clearly it is time for some new trustees in this year's board election. Although public service is a sacrifice, it's one that concerned parents should consider making in light of continuing school closures.
Haultain SCC Presentation (pdf)
Board must stop closing city schools
Anyone confused about the plan for Regina's public schools need ask just two questions: How many new schools have opened under the 10-year plan? How many have closed? The answer to the first question is zero. The answer to the second question is four, with a fifth under way.
The only "shovels in the ground" are two pre-plan projects that were to have been completed in 2008 and 2009. All other proposed constructions remain unrealized, amid ballooning cost estimates and tight provincial purse strings. Meanwhile the board marches on, closing schools where they are the most needed.
Athabasca School was cited on the basis of an anticipated 11-per-cent decline in the area's school-aged population. This has since reversed into a projected 26-per-cent increase within the next three years.
The facility audit shows the building is sound. During consultations, there were no complaints, only praise, about the education received. There's no evidence of substantial associated savings, nor evidence of pressing financial need, with a $6-million surplus posted this year. Shutting Athabasca is an unnecessary folly that must be rescinded. There's nothing better awaiting these children down the road.
Make no mistake: this is a schoolclosure plan. It primarily affects midto-low income neighbourhoods at the city core, where populations are burgeoning and children's needs are high. No matter where you live, the health and social sustainability of our city is at stake.
Vancouver and Edmonton recently declared closure moratoriums. We must demand the same for Regina, effective immediately.
TRISH ELLIOTT
Regina
There is a better vision
From the Regina Leader-Post:
I write to commend the board of the Prairie South School Division for its forward-looking and community responsive policies. I have heard from people in some of their school communities that their board is actually establishing a "small schools" policy and that they are meeting with parents and school community councils to assure them that their efforts will be focused on keeping their schools open, not on closing them.
And why wouldn't that be the focus, especially in light of our growing provincial population? I have even heard that this board is concerned enough about the after-effects on students (when a school is closed and they are moved to a school out of their natural community), that it is going to study those effects.
I find such actions by the Prairie South board to be so refreshing, and light years ahead of what we are stuck with from the Regina Public Board of Education. Our board is trudging along on its "10-Year Plan",, which includes closing 13 elementary schools and two high schools. My grandchildren's school, Athabasca, is the latest to be voted by the board for closure. Can anyone tell me what sense it makes to close a perfectly sound school in the middle of a neighbourhood that is changing over to young, growing families?
I call on all Regina families to join with us at Athabasca to overturn this wasteful and ridiculous decision and to stand together to ensure that we, too, can establish progressive policies such as they have in the Prairie South School Division. We meet at the Elphinstone Street bridge every Wednesday at 5 p.m.
MARGARET PELLETIER
Regina
Disappointed parent
As the parent of a pre-school aged child, I am was very disappointed in the Board's decision to close Athabasca School. I attended the public meeting at Athabasca School in November and, based on the discussion and information presented at that meeting, am very surprised at the Board's final decision. I would, however, like to thank the 2 Board members who voted against closing Athabasca School for their vision, open-mindedness, and critical evaluation of all the facts.
I have not spoken to one member of the public who supported closing the school. How unfortunate that no children who live in the River Heights neighbourhood now, or in the future, will ever walk to school and will not benefit from the close community ties that result from attending a neighbourhood school.
I have a friend whose daughter is enrolled in Discovery Preschool and lives about 5 blocks from Athabasca. As she does not have an older sibling at Athabasca, her parents have no choice as to which school she will attend in the future. She will likely be bussed to school for her entire school career, rather than walking to and from school with friends and going home for lunch.
As for me, seeing how the Regina Public School Board had made decisions over the past few years makes me seriously consider whether I will send my child into this system. I am aware of the Board's plans to eliminate traditional classrooms through the Structural Innovation model. I will not send my child to a school that employs that model based on the failure of similar models in other jurisdictions.
Furthermore, I have seen the Board leaving students and parents on edge for years about school closures, sticking to the tired mantra of school closures amidst a Baby Boom and with a booming provincial economy, using unreliable enrollment projections, closing schools rather than using creative problem-solving, and a having seeming disregard for the opinions of the citizens who elect the Board....I'm not Catholic, but surely the Catholic School Board must be better than this!
One final note:
I also strongly oppose the Board's decision to remove English programs from schools with French Immersion, such as Massey School for the following reasons.
When a school offers only French-Immersion....
(1) Children who switch from French to English must leave their school, friends, schoolmates, familiar teachers and staff. When I was in French Immersion at Connaught, several of my classmates switched to English but were able to maintain ties with their old friends and classmates during the transition and beyond.
(2) Siblings who are not both in French Immersion (for whatever reason) cannot attend the same school. This is unfortunate for the siblings as well as for their parents who must arrange seperate transportation for each child (ex. the older child cannot walk the younger child to school, and is not there to support their younger sibling).
(3) Children may not benefit from meeting children who were not in French Immersion. In my experience, students in French Immersion and those in English often came from different socio-economic backgrounds.
I implore the School Board members to chart a more positive vision for Regina's public schools for the sake of their students!
If we managed to keep schools open during the Depression, surely we can keep them open now. If the Boards reasons for school closures are financial, then the Board should be obligated to crack open the books to public scrutiny. As we all know, the Boards' enrollment projections benefited greatly from public scrutiny. Again, thank you to the two board members who voted in the best interest of students and of the public in the case of Athabasca School.
Sincerely,
Kate Smart
Thoughts on Athabasca
The small population definitely made Athabasca a great school. Teachers, regardless of what grade they taught, knew you by name and took an interest in you. The classes were not overpopulated and extra time and attention was given to you by the teacher because of this. Many parents volunteered their time at Athabasca and as a result of this, you got to know everyone’s parents as well. Small elementary schools strengthen community ties and generate amazing students. - Eric
Read the full post on the Lakeview Community Association Web Site.
Freedom to learn requires freedom to teach
It seems that every professional development day brings forth a guest speaker who is an expert in the field of classroom management, assessment, or evaluation. They have never personally implemented their initiatives in a classroom; however, we as classroom teachers are expected to put into practice a new classroom management style, a new assessment strategy, or a new reporting spreadsheet. And in my experience these initiatives hardly ever bring forth the desired or intended results. - Nick Forte
Disappointing Class Size Trends
by Dr. J. F. Conway, Trustee
Subdivision 5, Regina Public Schools
Feb. 1, 2009
The Regina Public School Board recently received two reports on class size trends, one for elementary schools (preK to 8) and one for high schools. The news is bleak. Although the trend is down in class size, the movement downward from 2005-05 to 2009-09 was really rather a pathetic achievement. For preK to 8, average class size went from just over 22 in 2005-05 to just over 21 in 2008-09 – one pupil fewer in five years. For high schools the reduction was even more disappointing – from almost 25 to just over 24 – less than one pupil fewer in five years.
Currie's Corner
I think I’ve mentioned once or twice that I’m the child of two teachers, which partly explains why I’ve always liked school buildings. When you think about places in this world where going to school is a luxury that’s not for everyone, it should make all of us appreciate schools more than we do. This week, Regina said goodbye to two of them, Stewart Russell on 7th Avenue, and Robert Usher Collegiate in Uplands. They have been deemed ‘redundant’ because of declining enrollment, based on projections which are questionable at best. Usher is less than 30 years old. It was the ‘pride of the fleet’ when it opened its brand new doors in 1979. At Stewart Russell, there was an
interesting little ‘wrinkle’ no one thought of when public school trustees signed the ‘death warrant’ earlier this year.
When staff were tidying up recently in preparation for closing the doors, they came across a time capsule that was left there when the school opened in 1974. It would be ascinating to open it and see what everyone thought was important 34 years ago, but we’ll have to wait quite a while to find out those secrets. You see
back then, they thought that a school might last at least 50 years. The time capsule is not to be opened until 2024 .. 16 long years from now. What will
happen to the building in the meantime is anybody’s guess. The third school which will be closing in a few short weeks, Herchmer Community School, will be a distant memory by 2024. It will be a pile of rubble by the end of July.
So if you missed its farewell last month, and Herchmer has special memories for you, better head over to 1132 McTavish and get your pictures. Then,
maybe write a letter or an E mail to one of Regina’s public school trustees, and give them a piece of your mind.
For 620 CKRM, I’m Roger Currie
http://www.620ckrm.com/curriescomments.html
BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES: Why Local Schools Are Key
by Roger Petry
1. Saskatchewan has entered a long-term growth phase, and local schools are critical to each community’s ability to harness these new opportunities.
Attracting potential employees, professionals,and business people to a community means attracting the entire family. Communities without a local school do not provide the quality-of-life benefits associated with living within walking or cycling distance to school and actively participating in the life of these schools. Schools also provide publicly available facilities and greenspace for recreation, other educational opportunities, and community gatherings.
2. School infrastructure supports community innovation and social development.
The crucial and historic task we currently face is to redefine and re-equip our communities to make them sustainable in the long term. Creative use of public infrastructure for multi-functional purposes is key.With increasing transportation costs, local schools of necessity become a vital hub for life-long education. In cases where school enrolment declines, classroom and other space can be adapted to meet locally identified needs (such as preschool) until such a time as enrolment levels increase (as occurs with changing neighbourhood demographics).
School buildings and land can also be vital to community experimentation and innovation in health and social services, recreation, community gardens/local food production, greenspace and in new building types and materials. These local community learning centres are key public assets for our future and need to be seen as cornerstones of our communities, to be invested in, used and improved.
3. Community connections and volunteerism are an increasingly vital resource.
Closing local schools eliminates community networks that have built up over years and that are key to community competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy. The potential to reduce costs through volunteerism should not be underestimated.In addition, community networks are especially valuable for poorer communities and can be a foundation for economic development that benefits the entire community.
4. The viability of local schools is increasing with technology.
New, low cost networking technologies can be made use of in local school settings to provide high quality learning opportunities. It is worth designing educational programming that take advantage of networking technologies to help provide the advantages of specialized programming while retaining the proven educational advantages of local schools. Familiarity with these technologies is also valuable to students for success outside of school.
5. Eliminating local schools creates unacceptable long-term risks to the public education system.
Selling public assets is not a long-term solution to funding shortfalls and long-term cost pressures. The decision to sell public property is irreversible once the land has been redeveloped and new land in established neighbourhoods is unavailable or priced prohibitively. When the goal is an accessible, high quality public education system, ongoing investment in existing infrastructure is the most cost-effective strategy.
6. Specialized programs become vulnerable when centralized.
When centralized, programs such as French Immersion can become less appealing because of increased transportation time and costs. At the same time, the visibility of these programs, which helps bolster their enrolment and public support, is reduced, making them easy targets for politically expedient cutbacks. Programs such as French Immersion play a vital role in keeping Saskatchewan’s educational opportunities on par with the rest of Canada, and in making our communities attractive. Having specialized programs integrated in local school settings also creates positive synergies.
7. Plans that increase dependence on bus and automobile transportation are short sighted.
Long-term plans that eliminate local schools and rely on routine bussing of children expose school systems and governments to ever-increasing transportation costs as the cost of fossil fuels escalates. This situation is potentially catastrophic once a public system can no longer afford these costs and has eliminated its local options. With climate change clearly linked to burning fossil fuels, it is hypocritical for the school system to knowingly increase its dependence in this way, thereby modelling poor decision-making for its students. Students also acquire bad personal habits where opportunities for walking and cycling to school have intentionally been eliminated that would otherwise contribute to long-term physical and mental health.
It is also irresponsible to offload extra travel costs on parents, some of whom do not have the resources or flexibility to travel extra distances to volunteer or attend school functions. These added costs undermine the equality and fairness of our public system.
8. Strong educational outcomes are the bottom-line.
The goal of a public education system should be achieving quality educational outcomes for all citizens. High educational outcomes are strongly correlated with smaller schools and parent and community involvement. Educational outcomes should not be sacrificed; everything in our power should be done to maintain our commitment to these outcomes. With bold, innovative and strategic decision making, which is the hallmark of Saskatchewan, we can achieve this goal long into the future.
Roger Petry specializes in philosophy and sustainable development issues. He teaches at Luther College at the University of Regina. Contact: 585-5295, or Email
A toast to neighbourhood schools
by Jim Stanford
Jim Stanford is a Toronto economist.
I recently logged onto Google Earth for the first time, to take a bird’s eye view of my own neighbourhood (Parkdale, a mixed-income district in central Toronto). And I learned a surprising lesson. The most visible feature in our community, from that sky-high vantage-point, is none other than our humble public school.
And when you think about it, this is quite fitting. Because the importance of that building to the life of our neighbourhood goes way beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Physically, the school is the largest and most recognizable building in our immediate ’hood. In fact, it was only thanks to the school that I could find our house (otherwise indistinguishable from all those other roofs) on Google in the first place. I started at the school, and then mentally “walked home” – following the same route my two daughters take five times a week. The school thus provides an organizing point for the whole community.
Indeed, whether school is in session or not, the schoolyard is a welcome, green magnet amidst our urbanized milieu. Naturally, its safety-proofed playground and sports fields are well-used by students. But dozens of non-students come each evening, too, from teenage skateboarders and trick cyclists to adult joggers and dog walkers. (The dog walkers aren’t actually supposed to be there – that’s another story!)
Indoors, too, the school is a resource for the whole community. Swimming lessons in the pool; music lessons in classrooms; community meetings in the auditorium. For children bombarded with advertising from birth, the school provides a rare non-commercial space: something that exists for a purpose other than selling something, and hence where you’ll never have to bark at your kids, “No, we can’t buy that!”
Swarms of stay-at-home parents bring their pre-schoolers to the parenting centre. There they enjoy some unstructured run-around time, referrals to outside services, and welcome adult conversation. There’s an on-site child care facility, too, facilitating the one-stop care of kids (including after-school care) from 3 to 13. Thanks to the hot lunch program, kids get what for many (too often including mine!) is their most nutritious meal of the day.
But the importance of our school to its immediate community goes far beyond these important facilities and services. Its provision of high-quality schooling to students from the many varied backgrounds of Parkdale makes a priceless contribution to social cohesion. This democratic, egalitarian approach to education enhances our ability to get along as neighbours, in addition to boosting the life chances of our children.
Together, our two girls have now had a dozen different home-room teachers at this school. All were good; several were extraordinary. All students have their challenges, and this school has tried to integrate and support those with special needs. This may pull down standardized test scores a tad, but provides a more important lesson to our kids in the importance of inclusion. And the school works seriously to create a safe, bully-free environment. That’s something we could emulate elsewhere in society … like our workplaces.
Speaking of which, our public school is itself an important, high-quality employer. Indeed, it’s perhaps the largest workplace in our immediate neighbourhood. Several dozen professionals (teachers, administrators, specialized support workers, and maintenance staff) ply their trade. They earn decent (not extravagant) incomes, protected by their unions, and they pump their valuable earnings right back into the regional economy.
I wouldn’t for a moment pretend that everything is perfect. Some silly problems take way too long to get fixed. Governance can always be improved. But on the whole, I feel blessed that our family can receive the services of this dedicated, high-performance public institution. And I am happy to pay taxes to support it.
Every neigbourhood needs and deserves a high-quality public school like ours. Collectively, we should recommit to providing the resources, the attention, and the care that public schools need, to stay at the top of their game. By the same token, anything that undermines the economic and social basis of public education poses, in my view, a nefarious threat to the Canadian fabric.
This includes, obviously, subsidies and other incentives for private schooling (which is at least as dangerous, in my view, as private health care). But almost as bad are market-like “reforms” that have been proposed for the public system – like promoting more competition between schools. These measures have been proven to exacerbate inequality between schools and hence neighbourhoods, thus accelerating the ghettoization that already poses a huge threat to our cities. In short, we should worry less about how to get our own particular kids into the best particular schools – and more about providing top-notch public schools for every single kid, in every single neighbourhood.
So this week, as kids and their parents march back to classes, say a little thank-you to your friendly neighbourhood school. As our local school is a prized asset in our neighbourhood, so is public education in general a gift to our whole society. The fact that children from all classes and backgrounds attend the same building, know each other, and learn from the same teachers, is nothing short of a miracle.
And it all starts right there in the neighbourhood.
A version of this commentary was originally published in the Globe and Mail.
School board reponses
This letter from the school board contains their responses to some of RealRenewal's 49 questions, received by email on March 3.
Letter from school board (pdf)
Why a moratorium
Motion by Dr. J. F. Conway, 4 March 2008
RESOLVED that the Regina Public School Board respond positively to the wish expressed by Education Minister Ken Krawetz and Premier Brad Wall that school closure decisions be postponed pending changes to the school consultation section of the Education Act, and pending the establishment of the criteria for “schools of necessity” and “schools of opportunity,” and accordingly defer all school closure and program consolidation decisions pending this year from the 10 year plan to the 2008-2009 school year.
Argument
Both Premier Brad Wall and Minister of Education Ken Krawetz have made widely circulated and prominently reported appeals to all school boards in the province currently contemplating school closures to postpone such decisions. This appeal was based on the government’s intention to make legislative and funding changes which will potentially have a significant impact on school closure decisions.
Text of remarks opposing program consolidations and school closures
Regina Public Schools, 11 March 2008
Dr. J. F. Conway, Trustee, Subdivision 5
Mr Chairperson, fellow Trustees, members of the administrative, professional and teaching staff, students and parents, and supporters of Regina’s public schools. First, let me begin by requesting that all decisions on tonight’s proposed program consolidations and school closures be made by recorded vote.
I wish to express my strong opposition to tonight’s proposed closures and consolidations, and the vision and strategy that lies behind them as laid out in the 10-year renewal plan previously approved by a majority of this Board. The Regina public school system we will have at the end of this plan in 2018 is, for me, unacceptable and represents a tragically missed opportunity to be so much better.
Letter from the Usher family
February 14, 2008
We, the family of Robert and Rheta Usher are writing regarding the proposed closure of Robert Usher Collegiate. Since its opening, RUC has always been an integral part of that community and has maintained an excellent reputation for both its strong academic and extra curricular programs. The school always had a feeling of personal interaction and terrific school spirit. It was a pleasure to walk the welcoming halls of this smaller high school where everyone--teachers, staff, parents and students knew each other and exuded a sense of pride in THEIR school. Good manners and caring were evident in the daily interactions. When the unicorn was chosen as the school's mascot, it was hoped by all that the school would become as unique as the mythical creature itself. It not only met this goal but surpassed it immensely.
We've always been proud that Grandpa's name was given to such a fine neighborhood school. Even more important to our family, was the role that the school bestowed on our grandmother, Rheta. Although the unicorn was the official school mascot, we know many faculty and students considered her the "true mascot" who embodied the spirit and values of the school. She was an excellent role model whom the students related to very strongly even years after their graduation. We're sure that this interaction was achieved in part due to the more intimate atmoshphere found in a smaller school. During all the years that Reta participated in the daily life of the Collegiate and many of the students' activities, we were all able to see how the school had grown and thrived. She was its most proud and vocal ambassador throughout the city and never missed an opportunity to promote RUC as an excellent school with an outstanding reputation.
We are not just supporting the future of RUC because it is named after a member of our family. In 1985, their great granddaugher, Christina Nash, was fortunate to live in an area where she could choose to attend either the larger high school, Thom or the smaller, more personal RUC. She attended grades 8-12 there and thoroughly enjoyed her education and especialy the drama and music programs. Over these five years, we as parents and family were able to observe the happy "family" atmoshphere and qualities of this great school. As a result of his sister's positive experience at Usher and his interactions with the school through his great grandmother Rheta, Robert Nash was sincerely hoping that one day his two sons might also have the privilege to attend high school there.
Both Robert and Rheta Usher were ardent supporters of fine arts in the community and were actively involved in the symphony, square dancing, Stairs for Stars and the Centre of the Arts. Thus, as a family, we would be overjoyed to see this school continue as a neighborhood high school with an emphasis on fine arts. If students must be bussed long distances to a school, it is far better that they and their families have a choice in the type of educational facility that they wish to attend.
Sincerely,
Vivian (Usher) Evans
Gail & David Nash (granddaughter & husband)
Robin Evans (granddaughter)
Robert & Sandra Nash (great grandson & wife)
Christina Nash (great granddaughter)
Trustees' election promises
This Leader Post report includes comments from all the school board candidates in the Oct. 2006 election.
Board must stop closing city schools
From the Regina Leader-Post:
Anyone confused about the plan for Regina's public schools need ask just two questions: How many new schools have opened under the 10-year plan? How many have closed? The answer to the first question is zero. The answer to the second question is four, with a fifth under way.
The only "shovels in the ground" are two pre-plan projects that were to have been completed in 2008 and 2009. All other proposed constructions remain unrealized, amid ballooning cost estimates and tight provincial purse strings. Meanwhile the board marches on, closing schools where they are the most needed.
Athabasca School was cited on the basis of an anticipated 11-per-cent decline in the area's school-aged population. This has since reversed into a projected 26-per-cent increase within the next three years.
The facility audit shows the building is sound. During consultations, there were no complaints, only praise, about the education received. There's no evidence of substantial associated savings, nor evidence of pressing financial need, with a $6-million surplus posted this year. Shutting Athabasca is an unnecessary folly that must be rescinded. There's nothing better awaiting these children down the road.
Make no mistake: this is a schoolclosure plan. It primarily affects midto-low income neighbourhoods at the city core, where populations are burgeoning and children's needs are high. No matter where you live, the health and social sustainability of our city is at stake.
Vancouver and Edmonton recently declared closure moratoriums. We must demand the same for Regina, effective immediately.
TRISH ELLIOTT
Regina
Board Majority's Communication Policy?
Muzzle, Manage and Manipulate
by John Conway, Trustee, Subdivision 5
At the regular meeting of the Regina Public School Board on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 I presented a motion to ensure that all members of school communities facing possible closures or program consolidations would have the right to organize and have access to the schools for that purpose, the right to post information in the schools and the right to send information home with students to parents. I did this because a principal of a school had denied a group organizing against the renewal plan and the future closure of the school the right to send a leaflet home with students to parents. The position taken by the principal was that only the official School Community Council enjoyed such rights. The leaflet was finally sent home, late, only because the School Community Council gave its blessing.
Thanks to RealRenewal Web Site
by J. F. Conway, Trustee, Subdivision 5, Regina Public Schools
I would like to thank the Real Renewal Web Site for providing a “Trustees’ Corner” for postings from those elected Trustees who wish to do so.
A majority of the Board, by a vote of 6 to 1, refused to allow me to post materials on the Public School Board’s Renewal Web Site, thus preventing my voice from being easily accessed by the public. I believe that this decision violated my rights and privileges as an elected Trustee, and has tainted the renewal discussion process which was supposed to be open and transparent.
A Critical Assessment of the Leithwood (school size) report
by John Conway, Trustee, Subdivision 5
As part of the system renewal process, the Board contracted the services of a qualified consultant to provide a review of the research on “best practices” with regard to school size. This was considered prudent given the growing body of evidence accumulated over the past two decades indicating that small schools, at both the elementary and high school levels, are much more effective than large schools. An awareness of such evidence will assist the Board in making wise school closure decisions.
Critique of the Linnen Report
by John Conway, Trustee, Subdivision 5
HJ Linnen Associates’ Phase 2 Consultation Report on the renewal process underway in Regina Public Schools was released to the public in June 2007. An estimated 1000 people attended 57 information meetings where members of the senior administrative team laid out the options and issues. Neither Mr. Linnen nor the elected Trustees played a role in these meetings.
Rationale for opposing the 10-year plan
by John Conway, Trustee, Subdivision 5
Mr. Chairperson, fellow Trustees, members of the Administration, and supporters of Regina Public Schools, first let me begin by requesting that all decisions on the recommendations of the “Renewing Regina Public Schools: A 10-year Plan” document be made by recorded vote tonight.
Tonight I wish to go on record in opposition to the vision and strategy presented to us in this plan.
Public Trustee's Report - Feb. 2, 2007
by J. F. Conway, Trustee Subdivision 5
2 February 2007
Election Analysis: Public School Board Results
The Coalition for a Citizen-Friendly Regina (CCFR) endorsed candidates in four of the seven subdivisions for the October 2006 election. I was acclaimed, but would have preferred fighting an election. Those who hold public office, in principle, should do so because they have won election, rather than through acclamation. Of the other three CCFR candidates, two did very well. Robert Petry came within a whisker in Subdivision 3 (formerly held by retiring Board Chair Ernie Pappas), narrowly defeated by former Roughrider and retired teacher Dale West. The CCFR’s Bob Ivanochko came in a respectable second to incumbent Rhonda Parisian in Subdivision 4. Though the CCFR’s Don Wren came in well back in the pack in Subdivision 7, incumbent Garry Schenher squeaked out a 40 vote win over Angela Fraser.
Public Trustee's Report - Feb. 2, 2006
Into the vortex of indecision?
by John Conway, Trustee
Subdivision 5
Those among you expecting decisive leadership from the Board majority and the Senior Administration, which brought you the document, “Renewing Regina Public Schools,” are perhaps a bit disappointed. You recall that report, no doubt. It cited 11 schools for possible closure, 10 in September 2006 and 1 in September 2007. The Senior Administration recommended approval, and a majority of the Board passed the obliging resolution against my advice. The vision of the report was clear: an end to the small neighbourhood school and its replacement by larger super-elementary schools in converted high schools. All hell broke loose among the public, and the recommendations were subsequently rescinded by the Board, to the relief of most in the city.
Backgrounder - Remarks following school board elections
by John Conway, Trustee, Subdivision 5
August 2006
The October 25 election for the Public School Board is the most significant since the battles against the cuts and closures back in the 1990s. The new Board will re-visit the so-called “renewal” plan of the current senior Administration and Board majority which proposed the closure of 10 schools in September 2006 and an eleventh in September 2007. I opposed that plan throughout many months of closed, secret meetings, and then joined many parent groups and the general public in forcing the Board to rescind the plan when it was finally made public in late November 2005.
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