The public is one step closer to getting an idea what a combined J.W. Walker/Alberton/Alexander MacKenzie school could look like after the Rainy River District School Board decided on an architectural firm at its regular meeting last night.
“We’ve picked a firm called Prairie out of Winnipeg,” said Education Director Warren Hoshizaki. “The board accepted them as the architect to do the conceptual drawings.”
The board accepted the firm after the architectural selection committee decided on recommendation at a meeting Monday night.
While Hoshizaki said there was no timeline, he added, “they said they could get going at the drawings right away.”
Hoshizaki added the board was excited to make progress in the renovation process. “From the drawings, we can move on to more detailed concepts and give the people a better idea of what they could possibly see.
“We can get a lot more public input at that time,” he remarked.
The motion given the nod by trustees stipulated the board will only pay up to $10,000 for the drawings.
Meanwhile, the meeting’s “Recognition of Excellence” went to nine North Star Community School staff members, as well as Peter Burton’s OAC Geography class at Atikokan High School.
The North Star staff–Michelle Cain, Kristy Duquette, Arlene Robinson, Cathy Burton, Ron Cameron, Heather Niskanen, Karen McAndrew, Cristol Marquardt, and Irene Mason–were recognized for participating in noon-hour extra-curricular activities such as choirs, a reading club, a chess club, and cross-country running.
The high school class, represented at the meeting by Burton and students Tyler Brown and Brandon McLeod, was applauded for using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to map the Sno-Ho Trails from Shebandowan to Mine Centre, and from Crane Lake to Ignace.
Also at last night’s meeting (which was held in Atikokan), Hoshizaki presented the Education Quality and Accountability Office literacy testing results for grade nine students.
While both the board and school administration have had access to the results since March 1, the board and provincial results will not be released to the public until March 8.
School results will be released by April 8.
The board also approved three policies (Interviews and Appointments, Trustees Attending Meetings Electronically, and Fringe Benefits for Non-union and Non-teaching employees), as well as the 2001-02 school calendar.
Meanwhile, the March personnel report included the appointment of casual caretaker Bill Arnould, the resignation of principal Jerry O’Leary (Sturgeon Creek, Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program, and Nestor Falls Schools), and the resignation of Wes Humaniski, the board’s network technology specialist.
There also were four leaves of absence for teachers Willa Kunkel (FFHS), Lee-Anne Hines (AHS), and Joyce Martinson (Rainy River High School), as well as educational assistant Teresa Gustafson (AHS).
Finally, FFHS principal Ian Simpson gave the board an update on the secondary school reform training session.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
