HDSB Decisions for Ward 4: Impact on Ward 6

In late March 2009 HDSB decided to build a new elementary school in Palermo to open September 2010. This school will be dual-track, English track and French Immersion track. As reported by the Oakville Beaver:

“To alleviate over-crowding at Ecole Forest Trail Public School, and avoid the need for the board to make costly relocations of portables, French immersion students in Grades 1 to 3 who will eventually move to the Palermo school will be temporarily housed at Lorne Skuce [Public] School for the 2009/2010 academic year. That school, located on Ridge Drive is currently acting as a holding school for students awaiting renovation of Montclair [Public School], but will be vacant next September.”

This makes it a priority for HDSB to be able to vacate Lorne Skuce PS for September 2009. This could affect our Ward 6 Munn’s PS (which is in Ward 5 like Lorne Skuce PS). Munn’s PS is supposed to get an addition built by September 2009 but this might be not get construction priority from HDSB relative to the construction at Montclair PS since Montclair PS needs to be done in order to vacate Lorne Skuce PS.

The good news is that the construction at Montclair PS and Munn’s PS were awarded to different firms (PM Contracting for Montclair PS and STF Construction for Munn’s PS). Of course, we know nothing of the other projects of these firms or how they are resourced. We do know that this project is already 2 months delayed and that the additions at Joshua Creek PS were finished 7 months behind schedule.

Delays at Munn’s PS could mean a few things. One possibility is that there would be more portables at Munn’s PS during delayed construction and having the school year progress while the school is under construction (this is what occurred at Joshua Creek PS). Another possibility is that some students from Munn’s PS would be sent to Lorne Skuce PS for 2009/2010. Why? If Munn’s PS isn’t ready it doesn’t have the capacity and HDSB might say, “Since we’re bussing these kids anyway and we’ve got capacity at Lorne Skuce PS and its FI too, so that’s what we’re doing.”

Of course, if HDSB makes a mess of Munn’s PS, it may cause continued low French immersion participation from Ward 6 (relative to other Oakville wards). This could have repercussions on enrolment at other Ward 6 schools.

NOTE: the size for the Palermo school is 440-students, which is much smaller than the 700-student size that Superintendent Parfeniuk stated was what HDSB builds when he rejected building a new school for Ward 6 (we couldn’t fill a 700-student school but we could have filled a 500-student school), but it is similarly sized to the 504-students for the Clearview school approved earlier this year. Its 500-student schools for Ward 3 and Ward 4 but not for Ward 6.

HDSB Developments

An update on recent correspondence and developments with the HDSB.
















The following is a motion from the Halton District School Board meeting minutes from March 4th, 2009 meeting regarding Munn's Public School.

"M09-0063 D Danielli / K. Bateman-Olmstead
Be it resolved that the Halton District School Board accept the tender from STF
Construction in the amount of $3,164,303 as contained in Tender No. T09-10 for
Munn’s Public School in Oakville, Ontario, and
Be it resolved that the Halton District School Board approve a budget of
$3,747,146 for the construction of the addition/renovation and that this project is
financed by Primary Class Size Capital ( $1,640,000) and Proceeds of Disposition
($380,000), as approved by the Ministry. The additional costs of $1,727,146 to
be financed through;
• Good Places to Learn (GPL) $500,000; and/or
• Renewal/Proceeds of Disposition $1,227,146, subject to Ministry approval.
Carried."

News on Munn’s Public School Additions 01/25/2009

At the January 21, 2009 meeting of the HDSB, Superintendent Cullen reported to the trustees on the addition to Munn’s PS as well as construction at the other schools affected by PARC16B (Sunningdale and Montclair). Superintendent Cullen reported that they have been able to take care of most concerns of principals and school councils. Superintendent Cullen reported that they would be taking back revised plans to school councils one more time before sending plans for the additions out for tender. Superintendent Cullen reported that a large portion of comments concerned traffic and access and that they looked into putting ‘new school’ traffic features into ‘old schools’ where possible. Superintendent Cullen reported that they have consulted comments from the community so that they move in the right direction. This interaction and consultation, if true, sounds good and would be a great improvement over how HDSB handled the additions onto Joshua Creek PS (presented without consultation and in fact they mislead as to where the addition would be put, which wasn’t known until the Town of Oakville distributed notices).

Superintendent Cullen reported that accepted tenders would be announced in February 2009. Trustees put a halt on Superintendent Cullen by asking him to bring back to trustees the plans that HDSB will be putting out to tender, before it is put out to tender. Superintendent Cullen did not intend to consult with trustees before putting the plans out to tender but rather just show them after they went out to tender. We commend the proactive effort of the trustees in this regard.

If you have comment or concerns with the plans for the addition at Munn’s PS or other related construction activity (e.g., parking lots, tree removals), you now have a window of opportunity to provide feedback to your school council, HDSB planning department or to the HDSB trustees. Next chance to comment is the Town’s Site Plan Committee meeting that will approve the plan submitted by HDSB.

Munn’s Public School Addition Committee

The purpose of this committee is to delegate the HDSB in support of the planned addition to Munn’s PS. NEO-RA supports an addition being built onto Munn’s PS. This addition is to be put forward for approval by the HDSB in January 2009. Our committee may consider including in its delegation a recommendation for revisions to plans. Niklas Moeller is chairperson of this committee. Please email us if you want to participate in the activities of this committee.