Families make final pitch to save west Ottawa schools from chopping block

Parents and childrengave emotional, final pitches at a meeting as they lobbied school board trustees to save seven public schools from closingin Ottawa's west end.

Trustees recommended keeping Regina Street Public School open as an alternative school, but to closefive public schools:

• Century Public School.
• Leslie Park Public School.
• D. Aubrey Moodie Intermediate School.
• GreenbankMiddle School.
• Grant Alternative School.

The debate about the future ofJ.H.Putman Public Schoolis scheduled to take place on Tuesday night.

"I'm very angry, I'm very frustrated," said DesireeImeish,who hastwo children at Century Public School located near Merivale High School.

"You're basically closing the only English [elementary] school in the neighbourhood.That's not fair. That does notmake sense."

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The board has lost $8 million in provincial funding, which is used to keep schools with low enrolment running, according to the chairwoman of the board of trustees forthe Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

"I don't think any one of us as trustees wants to close any schools, but the reality is the enrolment in some of our schools is very low, and in others we're overcrowded," said Shirley Seward.

"It's heartbreaking obviously ... It's tough. No one wants to close a school."

'Friendships will be broken'

Danny Martin, 9,read out a letter in his own words to a packed boardroomof about 100 school trustees and families.

One trustee hasproposedthat Martin's school,AgincourtRoad Public School, change into an early French immersion school only.

"I don't want the English kids to go to other schools," saidMartin. "Friendships will be broken and lost if you move the English kids."

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His brother's school, J.H. Putman, is also injeopardy of closing to English students. A proposal has the school staying open next September to only Grade 6-8 in French immersion.

If the board doesn't change its mind, Martin's mother CarolineLaviolettesaid she mightmove her children to a different school board.

"There's many many parents talking about [that]," said Laviolette. "I know parents who have been out to the Catholic board already. I'm hopeful that the trustees are listening. The decision is not final yet."

'It's almost discriminatory'

One parent said it's unfair that her12-year-old son may have to move schools based on the language he speaks. Her son Lucas Hood is in Grade 7 at J.H. Putman.

"I'm angry that this might go through," said his mother, Nancy Cober.

"To me it's almost discriminatory, you're favouring the French population versus the English population, which are fewer in number ... They should all be treated the same."

Seward defended the proposal saying 70 per cent of parents now choose early French immersion for their children over remaining in English-only classes. You can't have small classes of English students, she added.

"I say it's discriminatory when English students are in a class of only eightor ninechildren," said Seward. "That's not right. That doesn't give them the kind of education they really need. And the province is saying we can't afford to do that."

Financial concerns

Seward said thesmall size of some English programs is"not an ideal learning environment." The money from the province, which is used to pay tokeepthose classes running, is drying up, she added.

"That's a real financial issue and challenge for us," said Seward."But what [makes] me able to sleep at night is that I know at the end of the day,basedon thedecisions we make, all students will be in a better situation in terms of their learning."

Committee meetings on west-end schools continues on Tuesday evening with a debate on the future of J.H. Putmanand Agincourtpublic schools. East-end delegations are scheduled for Wednesday evening.

The board is expected to make its final decisionabout school closuresat two meetings on March 1 and 7.