Catholic board nixes Grade 9

Citing declining enrolment and not enough extra revenue, the Northwest Catholic District School Board decided Tuesday night that offering Grade 9 at its schools was not a viable option.
“After reviewing the report that was prepared for us and doing the follow through, I’ll say the declining enrolments scare me when trying to open a secondary school,” Education Director Mary-Catherine Kelly told trustees at Tuesday night’s regular monthly meeting here.
“We have already heard everyone’s thoughts,” board chair Robert vanOort said, referring to the lengthy discussion on the matter at their last meeting April 17. “We are not going into discussion on this unless there is a motion and it is seconded,” he added.
Dryden trustee John Borst, a strong proponent of offering Grade 9, tried to make a motion but no one would second it.
The majority of trustees said they felt this just isn’t the right point in time to embark on such an undertaking.
“If I saw the numbers and it were doable, I’d say let’s go for it,” said Fort Frances trustee Paul Cousineau. “But with the drop in [enrolment] numbers, it doesn’t look like its the right time.”
“We don’t have enough students [at Our Lady of the Way School] to even consider it as on option,” echoed Stratton trustee Mark Chojko-Bolec.
Cathy Bowen, the trustee for Sioux Lookout, agreed if enrolment numbers weren’t declining, she would be more inclined to consider the expansion.
“If enrolment wasn’t declining, I would want to explore this opinion further,” she said.
Fort Frances trustee and board vice-chair Annie Fitzgerald said she had no additional comments.
“The board knows where I stand. I don’t support the idea,” she remarked.
Harold Huntley, the other trustee for Fort Frances, also had no comment.
A recent report stated there currently are 146 students in Grade 8 in the board’s four schools which offer intermediate classes. But by 2010-11, the board expects to have only 119 students in Grade 8.
Still, even after countless discussions and no support from others trustee, Borst was avid about his entrepreneurial idea and felt the board should continue to consider offering Grade 9.
“I believe that we should continue to explore this option and that there is a potential to increase revenues through expansion,” he argued.
Kelly noted there was one challenge she was faced with over and over again. And that’s the fact that the Catholic board is spread across four different communities—Fort Frances, Stratton, Dryden, and Sioux Lookout.
With this being the situation, she said it would be difficult to choose where to implement a high school or where to make extensions to Grade 9.
Kelly told the board she wouldn’t be able to choose a location.
“How do you pick where to open a high school and feed from that? Or do you extend the schools to Grade 9 and build from that,” she asked.
“I’m unable at this time to answer those questions. I don’t have the answers,” she added.
Also Tuesday night, the Catholic board approved the motion for cost overruns in accordance to the 2006/07 budget, including $7,200 for school secretary summer hours, $12, 000 for custodial summer hours, and $40,000 for the roof replacement at the board’s office here.
Chris Howarth, the board’s superintendent of business, admitted the roof replacement wasn’t something they were projecting would need replacing until 2009.
“I wasn’t expecting this cost right now, but the consultant we hire to look at our structures every four years informed us that we have to do it now because it [the roof] is done,” he added.
Trustees also signed and approved the 2007/08 transportation agreement with the Rainy River District School Board.
As well, the board passed a motion to maintain the status quo of kindergarten programs at its Dryden and Sioux Lookout locations, even though it would cost an additional $60,000-65,000 not allotted for in the 2007/08 budget.
The motion requested both junior and senior kindergarten programs at the schools remain half-day, every day, for the 2007/08 school year, with a review the following year.
Trustees came to that decision after reviewing a survey, which asked parents if they would rather the current schedule or alternate full-time days.
Parents voted in favour of the current situation.
“We really have two choices: either cutting something, which is likely a staff member, or take the money out of the reserves,” noted Huntley.
“So my thoughts are if you don’t accommodate the day cares, then we run the risk of losing students,” he added. “The cost savings will show in coming years by keeping the children in our schools.”
Last night’s meeting opened with presentations by special guests Cathy Mueller, Catholicity co-ordinator, and Blake Dolph and Halle Bazinet, Grade 8 students at St. Francis School, about the importance of Catholic education and its benefits.
“Catholic schools play an intricate role in our students’ character,” Mueller said. “We integrate peace, love, and hope into our curriculum, and instill these values into our children,” she added.