Trustees want provincial cash for local and rural schools

Amid the battle for provincial education funding in two London neighbourhoods,trustees with the Thames Valley District School Boardvoted on Tuesdayto move rural schools up on its list of priorities.

Initially, acquiring a site to build a new school in Belmont sat fourth on the board's list of prioritiesto be presented to the Ministry of Education.

Trustee James Todd proposed an amendment to move it up to third place. It was approved by a slim 7-6 vote.

"We need to finish what we started. We've done the painful work of closing schools, what we need to do now is finish," he said to the board in a meeting on Tuesday. "These (closed) rural schools are intended to be replaced by new rural schools."

Last May, trustees voted to close five rural schools in London, St. Thomas, Belmont and Springfield.

The decision was made in an effort to address declining enrolment.

However, the closures are contingent on a proposal to the Ministry of Education to open two public schools, one in Belmont and another in St. Thomas.

South vs. north

The proposals for funding in two London neighbourhoods remainamong the top four in the board's final list of priorities.

Residents in northwest London want to see an additional wing built at Masonville Public School, where 11 portables housealmost half of its 500 students.

Meanwhile, residents in the new Summerside neighbourhood in southeast London want to see a new school builtto accommodate more than 400 students living in holding zones.

Ministry of Education ultimately decides

"I would like to be hopeful. But what the ministry does is difficult to know," said Matt Reid, the chair of the Thames Valley board.

Every year, the TVDSBprovides a list of about 10 business cases, in order of priority, to the ministry, in hopes of getting access to a $3 billion capital fund.

About 72 other school boards in Ontariocompete for the same money.

Summerside neighbourhood

More than 400 children who live in the Summerside neighbourhood are bused out to three surrounding public schools: Tweedsmuir, Fairmont and Princess Elizabeth.

"It's frustrating," said Don Campbell, who moved into the area with his family and three children more than 10 years ago. "We want a sense of community."

For five years the board has pushed for provincial funding for a school along Meadowgate Boulevard, just south of Commissioners Road and east of Highbury Avenuethat would house 450 students.

The $14 million proposal, if approved, would mean a new area school andthe demolition of Fairmont Public School. Those students would be relocated to Tweedsmuir Public School, which would be revamped at a cost of $3.5 million.

Masonville Neighbourhood

Masonville Public School is home to about 550 students, with about 250 taking classes in11 outdoor portables. They're needed because of overcrowding.

"It's a concern for our students and their safety and the space that's available for them and their learning environment and the staff and teachers," said Corinne Rahman,the parent of two children at the school.

Rahman, the outgoing parent council chair for the school, has been rallying for a solution to alleviate overcrowding pressures at Masonville

The board saidadding a $4 millionwing would eliminate all 11 portables.

Trustee Jake Skinner thinks the board should give the Masonvilleproposal priority over the one for Summerside.

"Both of them are high priorities," he said. But"the province picks and chooses and they don't necessarily look at what we're saying locally."

Provincial choice

In 2015, the province earmarked$28 million to build two public schools in north London. Sir ArthurCurrieand Cedar Holloware set to open this fall.

Reid is hopeful that both Masonville and Summersideproposals will catch the eye of the province.