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Accommodation Review Frequently Asked Questions

​What is a Pupil Accommodation Review?

School boards are responsible for managing their school capital assets in an effective manner. They must respond to changing demographics and program needs while ensuring continued student achievement and well-being, and the financial viability/sustainability of the school board.

School boards are responsible for deciding the most appropriate pupil accommodation arrangements for the delivery of their elementary and secondary programs. These decisions are made by school board trustees in the context of carrying out their primary responsibilities of fostering student achievement and well-being, and ensuring effective stewardship of school board resources. In some cases, to address changing student populations, this requires school boards to consider undertaking pupil accommodation reviews that may lead to school consolidations and closures.

Annually the Director of Education presents a Pupil Accommodation Report to the Board (Initial Staff Report). The Pupil Accommodation Report (Initial Staff Report) identifies, if necessary, the need to conduct an accommodation review of a school(s) and the establishment of an Accommodation Review Committee. This report may also include options to address the accommodation issue(s) and supporting rationale.

The Ministry of Education’s Pupil Accommodation Review Guidelines are available here.

The LKDSB’s Pupil Accommodation Regulations can be found here.​

The Ministry of Education’s Guide to Pupil Accommodation is available here.

 

Why is the LKDSB conducting a Pupil Accommodation Review?

We continue to face the challenge of declining enrolments, which has a direct impact on our Ministry funding and our ability to continue to efficiently and effectively operate our facilities.

In March 2015, the Ministry of Education released a revised Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline and a new Community Planning and Partnerships Guideline. These guidelines state: “School boards are responsible for managing their school capital assets in an effective manner. They must respond to changing demographics and program needs while ensuring continued student achievement and well-being, and the financial viability/sustainability of the school board.

“Ontario’s school boards are responsible for deciding the most appropriate pupil accommodation arrangements for the delivery of their elementary and secondary programs. These decisions are made by school board trustees in the context of carrying out their primary responsibilities of fostering student achievement and well-being, and ensuring effective stewardship of school board resources. In some cases, to address changing student populations, this requires school boards to consider undertaking pupil accommodation reviews that may lead to school consolidations and closures.”

In response to these Ministry guidelines, in June 2015 the LKDSB updated its policies and regulations on Pupil Accommodation and Community Planning and Partnerships to reflect the new Ministry Guidelines. It is the policy of the Lambton Kent District School Board to operate and maintain its schools as effectively and efficiently as possible to support student achievement while exploring all opportunities to enhance the learning environment.


What are the motions approved by the LKDSB Board of Trustees on Oct. 4?

​“That the Board approve the establishment of an Accommodation Review Committee for the Consolidation of Aberarder Central School, Bosanquet Central School, Kinnwood Central School and North Lambton Secondary School into a Kindergarten to Grade 12 School on the Kinnwood Central School Site.”

“That the Board approve the establishment of an Accommodation Review Committee for the Consolidation of the John N. Given Public School Kindergarten to Grade 8 English Language Program at Tecumseh Public School and the Relocation of the John N. Given Public School Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion Program to McNaughton Avenue Public School.”

 

Why were these schools selected for the 2016-17 Pupil Accommodation Review?

​The Lambton Kent District School Board understands each community is complex and to begin a Pupil Accommodation Review, regardless of the community, involves extensive study and community consultation.

In order to move forward with future phases of Pupil Accommodation Review, the LKDSB plans to conduct further community engagement studies, look at potential community partnerships, and review possible options before making a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. As well, the LKDSB is currently involved in implementing two Accommodation Review recommendations that occurred in 2015-16 involving Great Lakes Secondary School and Wyoming area schools. The LKDSB is awaiting the results the Ministry of Education capital grant application.

Enrolment in the LKDSB has continued to decline since amalgamation in 1998. Although the LKDSB experienced a one per cent increase in elementary enrolment for the 2016/2017 school year, over the past 10 years, the elementary student enrolment has declined, but at a slower pace. . However, secondary school enrolments continue to experience a decline. With reduced enrolments, the LKDSB is at 75 per cent capacity for elementary schools and 68 per cent capacity for secondary schools as of September 14, 2016. Birth rate projections in the LKDSB catchment area indicate these declining enrolments will continue.

In 2015-16, the Ministry of Education implemented an audit of school boards to assess schools’ capacity. In order to be compliant, the LKDSB conducted an internal audit of all facilities. Additionally, the LKDSB reviews the Facility Condition Index (FCI) of each school, which is a benchmark that measures the condition of a building versus the cost to build new. The FCI compares the cost of required capital work in schools against the replacement value of those same schools. Facilities with high FCI values generally are older buildings that require a significant amount of capital work.

The Pupil Accommodation Report considers each school’s student enrolment, FCI, primary concerns for the facility, transportation costs and the proximity to another LKDSB school site and based on this, administration makes a recommendation to the Board of Trustees to establish an Accommodation Review Committee in accordance to Ministry Guidelines. The final decision rests with the Board of Trustees who will decide the most appropriate pupil accommodation arrangements for the delivery of LKDSB elementary and secondary programs.

The 2016-17 phase of Pupil Accommodation involves the Chatham and Forest areas. The LKDSB is conducting a Pupil Accommodation Review for the Consolidation of John N. Given Public School Kindergarten to Grade 8 English Language Program at Tecumseh Public School and the Relocation of the John N. Given Public School Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion Program to McNaughton Avenue Public School. In Chatham, John N. Given Public School is located less than one kilometre from Tecumseh Public School and 3.7km from McNaughton Avenue Public School. As of Sept. 14, 2016, Tecumseh Public School is at 62 per cent capacity and can accommodate the English Language Program students attending John N. Given. As well, relocating the Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion Program students from John N. Given Public School to McNaughton Avenue Public School will allow the LKDSB to consolidate the French Immersion resources and eliminate this transitional step for the Grade 7 and 8 students.

In the Forest area, Aberarder Central School and Bosanquet Central School are currently under capacity (approximately half full). As well, Aberarder Central School, Bosanquet Central School, Kinnwood Central School and North Lambton Secondary School require a significant amount of capital improvements. Through consolidation of Aberarder Central School, Bosanquet Central School, Kinnwood Central School and North Lambton Secondary School into a Kindergarten to Grade 12 School at the Kinnwood Central School Site, the LKDSB is able to renew programming and consolidate resources to support and enhance the student learning environment.

 

What is an Accommodation Review Committee?

​An Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) represents the school(s) under review and acts as the official conduit for information shared between the school board and the school communities.

The ARC membership includes the following from each affected school: 1 to 3 students and an equal number of parents/guardians, a school administrator, and a community representative as well as a First Nations representative if appropriate. The Director or designate facilitates and chairs ARC meetings. Trustees are encouraged to attend as observers.

At the conclusion of the Pupil Accommodation Review process, the Director will submit a Final Staff Report to the Trustees, which must be available to the public and posted on the Board’s website. The Final Staff Report must include a Community Consultation section that contains feedback from the ARC and any public consultations, as well as any relevant information obtained from municipalities and other community partners prior to and during the pupil accommodation review. LKDSB staff may choose to amend their proposed option(s) included in the Initial Staff Report. The recommended option(s) must also include a proposed accommodation plan, which contains a timeline for implementation.

 

What is the timeline for the 2016-17 Pupil Accommodation Review Process?

​At a Special Board Meeting held on October 4, 2016, the LKDSB approved the motions to establish Accommodation Review Committees (ARC) for the consolidations of Chatham and Forest area schools, respectively. Here is an outline of the proposed Pupil Accommodation Review timelines:


Chatham Area:

Pupil Accommodation Review - begins October 2016

Decision for Consolidation - April 2017

Updates to Tecumseh Public School - Summer 2017

John N. Given closed - June 2017

Consolidated School at Tecumseh Public Site - begins September 2017

Grade 7 and 8 FI classes at McNaughton Avenue Public School - September 2017


Forest Area:

Pupil Accommodation Review - begins October 2016

Decision for Consolidation - March 2017

Submission to Ministry of Education - March 2017

Response from Ministry of Education - June 2017

Commencement of Construction at Kinnwood Central Site - July 2017

Completion of Construction - August 2019

Students enter new Kindergarten to Grade 12 site - September 2019

 

My child attends one of the schools named in the Initial Staff Report for the Pupil Accommodation Review. How can I find out more about this process?

​It is the policy of the LKDSB to operate and maintain its schools as effectively and efficiently as possible to support student achievement while exploring all opportunities to enhance the learning environment. Information about the Pupil Accommodation Review, including a timeline schedule, is available on the LKDSB website at: https://www.lkdsb.net/Board-Info/arc.htm. This website will continue to be updated throughout the Pupil Accommodation Review process.

​If you have a question, please contact arc@lkdsb.net, speak to your principal, or contact a member of the Accommodation Review Committee for your school.

 

I am interested in delegating at one of the public meetings. How do I do this?

​Individuals wanting to delegate at the Public Accommodation Review Meetings must complete the attached Delegation Request Form and submit it to arc@lkdsb.net seven days before the public meeting. The deadlines for submitting the delegation requests for the two public meetings are available at https://www.lkdsb.net/Board-Info/arc.htm under the Chatham Area – John N. Given Public School and Forest Area of Schools links. You can also download the form.