School review deadline this week

Wednesday will be the last day for Prince Edward Islanders to submit comments on the review of P.E.I. schools.

The province has launched a major review of school utilization. In September it released data showing many schools in the province are underutilized, while some over over-crowded.

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School reconfigurations, rezoning, and school closures are all possible outcomes of the process.

Project manager Bob Andrews has received hundreds of submissions, including

• 82 public presentations.
• 70 individual group meetings.
• 247 online submissions.
• 200 written submissions.
• 25 emails from the public.
• 22 emails from employees.

The online submission form will come down at midnight Thursday. The work will then begin to assess the information with the head of the Public Schools Branch.

New enrolment figures

Andrews said that work includes information from a consultant's report which he got a preliminary look at last week that re-examines the population projections the review has been using.

The new report does not show any significant changes in projections, he said.

We're hoping to get our own projection data refreshed.- Bob Andrews

"The trends are very similar," said Andrews.

"We'll also meet with principals to review capacities in schools to make that that data is correct, and we're hoping to get our own projection data refreshed with using 2016 information as well."

The projections the review has been using up to now were based on 2015 enrolment.

Andrews said his recommendations will be released in early January, and there will be a 60-day comment period.

Education Minister Doug Currie has said he'd like to see any changes made in time for the start of the 2017 school year in September.

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