Exchange Details

Q1

Q2

Q3

Participants

Thoughts

Ratings

%		Name

64.3%	(481)	Parent/Guardian
18.7%	(140)	Community Member
13%	(97)	Staff Member
2.4%	(18)	Student
1.6%	(12)	Other

Scenario 1 Themes

Prefer Separate Age Groups
"A kindergarten to grade 12 school would have too many students. This proposal doesn't eliminate the amount of teachers working; however, adds on amounts of students per class, which puts a strain on the teachers. Students have a hard time learning when being overwhelmed with large groups of kids."

Impact on Small Towns and Communities
"Maintain a sense of community involvement in the school. Having a school in smaller, rural towns is important for the town's growth and in keeping the town alive. This also allows students to have a greater sense of pride in their school, representing a specific community."

Transportation/Distance
"Taking a school from a town. This will totally destroy Ridgetown. You will make kids be on busses too long. NOT right. They will lose out on after school activities as parents may not have transportation to get kids to where they need to be - much more driving for everyone."

Support for Scenario 1
"Scenario 1 works best for students and community. This first scenario seems like the best option for students and community. With this plan, there would be little disruption in the displacement of students. A school becomes a community link. This option would have the least amount of disruption for the least amount of people."

Prefer Smaller School Atmosphere
"Bigger is not always better. Some children thrive in a smaller setting. Opportunities to make sports teams are possible (a larger school, competition to make the team is overwhelming), club leadership is possible. This smaller population allows these children to grow, mature and become leaders. Here everyone knows your name! Bus ride?"

Scenario 2 Themes

Transportation/Distance
"Students do not need extended bus ride times. In order to bring students from four small towns that stretch along the southern Chatham-Kent map, bus commute times will increase, thus creating earlier wake-up times, tired and non-attentive students, reduced grades, and so it goes."

Extracurricular and After-School Jobs
"It will mean a lot of travel for students out of their home areas. It is hard enough to get homework done, stay for sports practices, etc. when you live in the same area. Having to travel 30 plus minutes will make this even harder. Additionally it will be more difficult for part time work after school, or watching siblings, or helping out at home, etc."

Prefer Smaller School Atmosphere
"Size matters. Small schools provide more consistent educational services for their students. Students are better noticed for their strengths and weaknesses. Students have a better relationship with each other/staff - greater appreciation for diversity. Individual needs are met due to recognition."

Impact on Small Towns and Communities
"Closing high schools in all of these communities is drastic and depressing. Closing this many schools at once is a very drastic measure and sends a terrible message to all of these communities. That we don't care about your students and are willing to bus them for hours to make sure we meet our bottom line. I would like to see more creativity on this option."

Impact on Economic Growth
"With no high school left in the towns of south Kent, CK will suffer. At a time when we are crying about high taxes (because there aren't enough tax payers), removing school services from the area won't help keep people in the area. I think the Board should consider having two high schools instead of one and locate these in the towns we have now."

Future Planning Themes

Impact on small towns and communities
"Students of rural communities. Keeping a school in a rural community (Scenario 1) will only prove to keep more people happy but maintain an already viable community. Small communities rely on schools as a hub for many activities, often the heart of a community. I would hope that the LKDSB sees the value in keeps K-12s in Blenheim."

Transportation/distance
"Busing town students long distances for school when there is currently a school within walking distance. We chose TDHS not only for the small size but the closeness as my daughter did not want to wake at 5am to get on a bus to travel for school. After school sports are also an issue for busing."

Timeline and project planning
"Amalgamation of English public and English Catholic school boards. Other provinces eliminated their separate school boards decades ago. If we have to choose between separate boards and keeping schools in our rural communities, I think the winner is schools in rural communities."

Impact on students
"Our students come first! Student wellness should be first and foremost in any plan for the future. How will such plans impact our children, their ability to learn and be successful in the education system."

Impact on economic growth
"Boards should consider that bigger is not always better. People live in a small community for a reason. Having a high school in a small town creates ties to businesses and actually keeps small businesses alive. Today's teens have buying power and frequently visit the local pizza place or variety store. Local high schools keep a community thriving."

Top Thoughts

If you want to read all the thoughts, here you go! The Top thoughts interactive report gives you the thoughts rated highest rated to lowest. Curious? Click here

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Top Themes

We grouped the thoughts together by topics and put them into interactive themes. Check out which themes generated the most buzz here.

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