Western high school's potential closure debated

Hundreds of people attended a special Greater Essex County District School Board meeting Monday night to hear about the board's plans for potential closures and consolidations of high schools across the county.

The board is considering closing Western Secondary and moving some of its students to General Amherst High School.

The board is also considering closing Harrow District High School and merging it with Kingsville District High School.

This was third of four public meetings regarding its 2015 Program and Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) study.

The board is currently reviewing what it calls "capacity issues" at the high schools and said the schools are operating at 57 per cent capacity with roughly 6,000 empty desks, costing $5.7 million a year.

"Constructive community input is encouraged. A variety of opportunities will be provided for individuals to ask questions or provide suggestions," the board says in a letter to parents. "Please remember that the PARC committee is not a decision making body. The committee will be preparing a report to be presented to administration. Based on the committee's final recommendations, administration will form recommendations that will be presented to trustees for final approval at a later date."

The board has already held public meetings at General Amherst and Kingsville high schools.

Western is different than the other schools. It offers a full range of technological courses such as:

• Aesthetics and Cosmetology
• Horticulture
• Woodworking
• Auto Service
• Auto Body
• Small Engines
• Welding
• Hospitality
• Event Planning
• Baking and Food Preparation

Priya Sivakuman has a son at Western. She spoke Monday night.

"Western has a culture that is worth preserving. That's the reason I'm standing here. Before we make any drastic changes, let's be sure that this culture is well-established in every high school, or else we'll be doing a disservice to our students who are most in need," she said.

Kayla Beneteau says she was bullied before starting at Western Secondary School, but the new place was "like home." Beneteau went on to become valedictorian of her graduating class in 2011.

"Everybody was so welcoming. The teachers, they made me feel like my learning disability was not a big thing anymore. It was a barrier that I could easily break with a little confidence," she said.

A draft recommendation presented Monday night suggests consolidating Harrow and Kingsville high school, closing Harrow elementary school and creating a new school that offers classes from junior kindergarten through Grade 12.

It also recommends closing Western while moving its programming to General Amherst.

'A normal high school career'

Paula Lofthouse-Aldi is a former vice principal at Western. She says all students there have disabilities of varying degrees.

She says Western has extra support staff in terms of education assistants and youth workers that allow students to have "a normal high school career."

Lofthouse-Aldi says if Western were to close, students would not get same opportunities at their community high school.