Over a hundred people turned out to watch delegations present on why schools slated for closure across the Upper Canada District School Board shouldn’t be shuttered.
Last night’s meeting saw 11 presentations including two opposed to the closing of Oxford-on-Rideau Public School. Both presentations for the Oxford Mills school focused on the population growth and the school capacity within our feeder system of schools being nearly maxed out.
Presenter Shawn Berube says, according to the information provided, if Oxford-on-Rideau were to close there would be 1099 elementary students with only 1077 teachable elementary spaces within the feeder group.
Both presenters pointed out that a survey found that the lack of french immersion and before-and-after school care may be one of the reasons some parents send their children to other schools in the area.
Tonight MPP Steve Clark is set to present at the second evening of delegations. There will also be a presentation by Brent Lekx-Toniolo regarding looking at the possibility of tech based learning at Oxford-on-Rideau.
The meeting gets underway at 6:30pm at North Grenville District High School with the trustees expected to make the final decision on March 23rd.