Explosive growth is an election issue, says school board trustees

In an open letter sent to provincial candidates in the upcoming June 2 election, public school board trustees call for more money to handle overcrowded schools.

In the letter, board members of the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) listed five schools that are bulging at the seams, leaving officials to overuse portables and invent creative busing schedules to accommodate each area’s expanding population.

ANGUS AND ALLISTON

The letter to the candidates insists new schools in both Angus and Alliston are necessary due to severe overcrowding of local public schools.

The letter states that in Angus, Pine River Elementary School was built for 234 pupils; however, it has a current enrolment of 400 students, putting it at 71 percent over capacity. Angus Morrison Public School is suited for 458 pupils yet has a current enrolment of 732 students, putting the school at 60 percent over capacity.”

The Alliston Union Public School has room for 507 students but has squeezed in 596 students. Boyne River Public School was constructed for 461 pupils, but with an enrolment of more than 705 students, it now sits at 53 percent capacity.

Additionally, Ernest Cumberland Elementary School is expected to hold 539 students but has 617 students filling seats.

BARRIE

The SCDSB trustees also require an addition at Ardagh Bluffs Public School to accommodate residential development in the area. It is estimated the new homes will increase the student load to approximately 450 students.

In 2010, Ardagh Bluffs Public School was built with the capacity to accept a vertical addition. Currently, Ardagh Bluffs is a 576 pupil-placement school with a current enrolment of 697 students, putting the school at 21 percent over capacity.

An addition to Ardagh Bluffs Public School would provide 138 additional pupil places.

BRADFORD

Trustees also state a new secondary school is needed in Bradford.

Currently, the elementary and secondary schools in the community are over capacity and projected to remain so over the long term, increasing reliance on portable classroom accommodation.

Bradford District High School has room for just over 1,110 students but has a current enrolment of 1,247 students, putting the school at 12 percent over capacity. Trustees believe a new Bradford secondary school will be needed within five years.

INNISFIL

A little farther north in Innisfil, the SCDSB requires a two-story addition at Nantyr Shores Secondary School to accommodate the increased enrolment in secondary schools.

Currently, Nantyr Shores Secondary School has room for just over 1,100, but with its current enrolment of 1,336 students, it puts the school at 16 percent over capacity. An addition at Nantyr Shores Secondary School would provide room for 414 additional students in the school.

FUNDING REQUEST REJECTED

In the letter, trustees state the proposed expansion requirements they sent to the Ministry of Education under the Capital Priorities Grant program in February were rejected.

A 2018 freeze on Educational Development Charges remains in place, and restrictions on funds the SCDSB can collect from developers leave a shortfall of cash that could have been used for site acquisition and related costs.