Simcoe County District School Board
Encyclopedia
Simcoe County District School Board, also known as SCDSB is one of Ontario
's largest public school boards, serving Simcoe County. The schools and learning centres are dotted throughout 4,800 square kilometres in Simcoe County. This south-central Ontario
setting is bordered by the Holland Marsh in the south, the Trent-Severn Waterway in the east, Blue Mountain in the west and Muskoka in the north. It is an English
-language school board.
and Georgian Bay
region, is to ensure students reach their full potential to become responsible and contributing members of an ever-changing global society through quality programs which develop the skills of lifelong learning in a safe, caring environment enhanced by community support.
school by September 2008. King Edward was designated as “prohibitive to repair” by the Ministry of Education after province-wide inspections in 2003.
In response to a request by individuals in the King Edward community, the Ministry of Education appointed Dave Cooke
, an independent facilitator, to review the three-year process that led to the Board’s closure decision. The facilitator met with the King Edward Accommodations Review Task Force members, other community members, trustees, and staff during the summer.
A Ministry of Education press release noted that the facilitator “determined that the board did follow its board-approved accommodation review policy as well as the intent of the McGuinty
government’s Good Places to Learn initiative.” In addition, the release states that the facilitator “made recommendations for the board to improve its accommodation review process, but also determined that the outcome of the review of King Edward would not have changed under a different process.”
SCDSB Associate Director Lou Brandes agreed that it is time to proceed with next steps. “David Cooke's review has validated our Accommodation Task Force Review process as well as the integrity and the inclusiveness of the work of the committee members,” he says. “Transition teams made up of principals, staff and parents from King Edward, Allandale Heights Public School and Assikinack Public School communities will be continuing to work with their communities over the next two years in preparation of the transfer of students to their new locations in September 2008.”
The decision to close the school was made on April 26, 2006, nearly three years after the Ministry of Education conducted province-wide school inspections and deemed the school to be “prohibitive to repair”.
The “prohibitive to repair” designation is made when the cost of renewing the school building surpasses 65% of the cost of the replacement value of the existing building.
As a result of receiving this designation, the Simcoe County District School Board followed the procedures set out in Board Policy 2313, School Closure and Consolidation. The King Edward Accommodations Review Task Force Committee was formed in November 2003 to begin the accommodations review process and make recommendations for Board consideration.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's largest public school boards, serving Simcoe County. The schools and learning centres are dotted throughout 4,800 square kilometres in Simcoe County. This south-central Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
setting is bordered by the Holland Marsh in the south, the Trent-Severn Waterway in the east, Blue Mountain in the west and Muskoka in the north. It is an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-language school board.
Mission
The mission of the Simcoe County District School Board, serving diverse growing urban and rural communities in the HuroniaHuronia
Huronia is an actinocerid genus included in the Huroniidae along with Discoactinoceras and Huroniella,. Huronia is characterized by long siphuncle segments with the free part of the connecting rings only slightly inflated and by a narrow central canal and strongly curved radial canals located in...
and Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
region, is to ensure students reach their full potential to become responsible and contributing members of an ever-changing global society through quality programs which develop the skills of lifelong learning in a safe, caring environment enhanced by community support.
Staff and Students
The SCDSB currently has almost 50,000 students in 88 elementary schools, 16 secondary schools and 7 adult learning centres.http://www.scdsb.on.ca/about/index.cfm The SCDSB also employs over 6,000 employees.http://www.scdsb.on.ca/about/index.cfmKing Edward Public School
The Ministry of Education has released a report that upholds the King Edward Public School accommodations review process. The accommodations review resulted in the Simcoe County District School Board’s decision to close the aging BarrieBarrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
school by September 2008. King Edward was designated as “prohibitive to repair” by the Ministry of Education after province-wide inspections in 2003.
In response to a request by individuals in the King Edward community, the Ministry of Education appointed Dave Cooke
Dave Cooke
Dave Cooke is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was an NDP member of the provincial legislature from 1977 to 1997, and was a senior cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae.-Early career:...
, an independent facilitator, to review the three-year process that led to the Board’s closure decision. The facilitator met with the King Edward Accommodations Review Task Force members, other community members, trustees, and staff during the summer.
A Ministry of Education press release noted that the facilitator “determined that the board did follow its board-approved accommodation review policy as well as the intent of the McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
government’s Good Places to Learn initiative.” In addition, the release states that the facilitator “made recommendations for the board to improve its accommodation review process, but also determined that the outcome of the review of King Edward would not have changed under a different process.”
SCDSB Associate Director Lou Brandes agreed that it is time to proceed with next steps. “David Cooke's review has validated our Accommodation Task Force Review process as well as the integrity and the inclusiveness of the work of the committee members,” he says. “Transition teams made up of principals, staff and parents from King Edward, Allandale Heights Public School and Assikinack Public School communities will be continuing to work with their communities over the next two years in preparation of the transfer of students to their new locations in September 2008.”
The decision to close the school was made on April 26, 2006, nearly three years after the Ministry of Education conducted province-wide school inspections and deemed the school to be “prohibitive to repair”.
The “prohibitive to repair” designation is made when the cost of renewing the school building surpasses 65% of the cost of the replacement value of the existing building.
As a result of receiving this designation, the Simcoe County District School Board followed the procedures set out in Board Policy 2313, School Closure and Consolidation. The King Edward Accommodations Review Task Force Committee was formed in November 2003 to begin the accommodations review process and make recommendations for Board consideration.
External links
- Simcoe County District School Board website
- King Edward Farewell A-Channel news story on closing King Edward School