Avon Maitland District School Board

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Transitions Overview and Process

In June 2010, the Board voted to consolidate K- 6 students from Brussels PS and Grey Central PS at the Grey Central PS site in September 2012, to consolidate some K-8 students from Blyth PS and the K-8 students from Hullett Central PS at the Hullett Central PS site in September 2012, to consolidate the K-6 students from Usborne Central PS and Exeter PS at the Exeter PS site in September 2012, to consolidate the K-6 students from Zurich PS and Hensall PS at the Hensall PS site in September 2012, to relocate the students residing in Huron Park from Exeter PS to Stephen Central PS.

Transition Committees were established for the school communities involved and each group met for the first time in June 2011. These committees were established to assist the schools, students, parents and staff plan for the changes and make the transition as seamless as possible. The committees also discussed whether new names should be considered for the consolidated schools, or whether the receiving schools would retain their existing name.
(Links to each Transition Committee site are located in box above and to the right)

The respective committees then considered suggestions from the school communities submitted over the past month through a Board poll conducted through the yourschools.ca website. The committees submitted recommendations to the Board for consideration at the June 28, 2011 meeting.

As a result the Board approved the decommissioning of the names of Blyth Public School, East Wawanosh Public School, Wingham Public School and Turnberry Central Public School and named the newly configured elementary school in Wingham as Maitland River Elementary School, effective September 1, 2012.

The Board approved the decommissioning of the names of Brussels Public School and Grey Central Public School and name the newly configured elementary school in Ethel as North Woods Elementary School, effective September 1, 2012.

The Board approved amending the name of Exeter Public School to be Exeter Elementary School, effective September 1, 2012.

The Board approved the decommissioning the names of Zurich Public School, Hensall Public School and name the newly configured elementary school in Hensall as Bluewater Coast Elementary School, effective September 1, 2012.

The remaining two Transition Committees, Stephen-Huron Park and Hullett-Blyth, decided to defer discussion and recommendations on possible name changes until the fall.

On Thursday, July 28, 2011 at a Special Meeting of the Board, it was announced that the students of Colborne Central Public School would be relocated on a temporary basis to the former Victoria School for the 2011-2012 school year. This action was taken because of structural issues at the school related to water penetration and mould.

Transition Process for School Accommodation

Background

This process is designed to facilitate discussion between school staff, board staff and community members around the transition of students and staff as a result of an accommodation review decision. This framework is intended as a guide and, based on the needs of the schools and communities involved, it may be modified. The ultimate goal of the transition process is the successful integration of students, parents, community members and staff into a new school setting or configuration.

Outcomes of This Process

Students will:

a. Feel welcome and are welcoming in the new setting;
b. Feel safe and comfortable;
c. Develop a sense of belonging and ownership;
d. Get involved in all aspects of school life – curricular and extra curricular;
e. Continue to reach high levels of academic achievement.

Parents will:

a. Feel welcome and are welcoming in the new setting;
b. Have a sense of belonging to the school community, a sense of ownership;
c. Feel that they have been treated fairly;
d. Understand the roles played by various groups such as trustees, board administration, school staff, students, parents and community members;
e. Understand the policies, procedures and timing that govern certain decisions i.e., transportation, staffing, facilities, etc.

Staff will

a. Feel welcome and are welcoming in the new setting;
b. Have a sense of belonging to the school community, a sense of ownership;
c. Feel that they have been treated fairly with respect to placement;
d. Understand the policies, procedures and timing that govern certain decisions i.e., transportation, staffing, facilities, etc.

Committee Structure

The principals of the school transition teams shall co-chair the Transition Committee.
In September of the year prior to the date of the actual transition of students, the Superintendent of Education (Operations) will, in consultation with the school principals, the superintendent and the local trustee for that school, establish the date of an information session around the transition process. This meeting should be held prior to the end of October of that school year.

Prior to the information session, school principals will identify members of the school’s transition team. Membership of this team must include:

School council chair or designate;
A second parent representative, not necessarily a member of school council;
2 Student representatives – grades 5 through 12;
Community representative – possibly a member of municipal council;
Teaching staff representative;
Non-teaching staff representative;
School administration – principal and, where applicable, the vice-principal
Area trustee;
Area superintendent;
Area student trustee.

Following the finalization of Committee Membership:

The co-chairs of the Transition Committee will send a written invitation to the local municipal councils to send a representative(s) to observe the transition process, provide input and report back to their respective councils. These municipal representatives are ex officio members of the Transition Committee. The co-chairs will also provide municipal councils with an outline of the transition process.
The Transition Committee will be comprised of the school transition teams of all schools impacted by the accommodation review decision for the particular school community.
All Transition Committee meetings will be public meetings.
The members of the Transition Committee will determine whether they will establish sub-committee(s) to accomplish specific tasks. All sub-committee work must be presented at a public meeting of the full Transition Committee.
In cases where the decision of school closure is more than one school year away from the date of implementation, Education Centre staff will work with the school principals to provide periodic updates to the members of the affected communities. This may take the form of website postings, emails, newsletters, stories in the local media and, where deemed necessary by staff, public meetings.

Roles and Responsibilities

This list of responsibilities is a guide and it is not all-inclusive.

Board Staff

Facilities planning and construction
Finance direction on school budgets, bank accounts, signing authorities, purchasing requirements
Appointment of principal and other staff (per the provisions in the various collective agreements)
Facilitate the movement of supplies and equipment to a new location
Act as a resource to the Transition Committee
Publish of minutes and agenda for the Transition Committee
Establish and publish a document that outlines roles and responsibilities of committee members and timelines for completion of major transition tasks

School Staff

Maintain as much normalcy as possible for students during the transition process
Communicate ideas and concerns regarding the transition through the school principal
Act as a resource to the Transitions Committee
Plan and implement orientation programs for staff, students and parents
Plan and implement celebrations to acknowledge closing school(s) prior to the end of the school year
Plan and implement celebrations at the beginning of the school year for the new school or school configuration
Assist in the process of identification and packaging of materials to be moved from one school to the other
Assist in the receiving and locating of materials received from another school
Provide input to the school administration for timetabling and class allocation as per the collective agreement

Transition Committee

Recommendation of the school name to board of trustees
Recommendation of school team name and colours
Recommendations with respect to the disposition of school memorabilia
Assist in the development and delivery of orientation programs for students and parents
Assist in the development and delivery of celebrations prior to the end of the year for closing school(s)
Assist in the development and delivery of celebrations at the beginning of the school year for the new school or school configuration
Identify, discuss and make recommendations to school and board staff regarding issues of concern with respect to the transitions process

Suggested Timelines

September

Establish date for information meeting
Identify members of the school transition teams

October

Information meeting
Begin Transition Committee meetings

November

School Administration meets with Finance re: bank accounts, signing authorities, etc.

January

Merge school councils into one entity with representation from all consolidating schools.

February

Interim report to the senior staff and director's information reports to trustees regarding the Transition Committee meetings and recommendations

May

Final report to senior staff and director's information report to trustees regarding the Transition Committee meetings and recommendations

June

Celebrations for closing school