Two reports were presented by staff at last week’s Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRDSB) meeting, prompting a swift reaction from Cavan Monaghan parents.
Three parents presented their concerns regarding the recommendation of the Resource Committee to adopt a plan to move Cavan Monaghan intermediate and secondary students from Crestwood to Kenner in the fall of 2025 to alleviate enrolment pressures at Crestwood. An overflow room equipped with a screen to view the proceedings was required to provide the opportunity for roughly sixty members of the public who came to support the delegates to hear their submissions and the response of the Board.
North Cavan parents Jackie Daniels and Amanda Townsend pointed out that the overriding concern in any decision should be to put students first. They argued that the culture of Crestwood has been developed over years to support the rural lifestyle of Cavan Monaghan students. Residents have chosen a rural lifestyle and some were influenced by the fact that the high school was in a rural setting. Examples of programs such as the EDGE athletic program and the Transportation Tech partnership with Winslow Gerolamy were developed to respond to rural students. They highlighted the overwhelming volume of responses from Cavan Monaghan residents to the proposed accommodation options which is evidence of the intensity of the sentiment of parents who see this move as dismantling the community rather than building it. They outlined existing transportation challenges and wondered why North Cavan students in particular would have to travel past their current high school to one that is much further away in an urban setting.
Cavlin Grabham reiterated the lack of connection of the report’s recommendation to the principles the report cites as guiding their recommendation, including maintaining high quality programs and maintaining efficient transportation services. His request to the Board could be summarized by the phrase commonly used in the classroom: Show your work. He suggested that no data was presented that supports the recommendation to remove the other three options from consideration.
Two educators followed the parent delegations. David Berger, President of the Elementary School Teachers for the KPR Board, spoke about some of the special programs offered at Kenner Intermediate School including theatre and music that are much appreciated by students. Dave Warda, President of KPR’s Secondary School Teachers, warned against making harmful comments about Kenner that are hurtful to staff and students at the school. No derogatory comments about Kenner were made at the meeting or to the local Board Trustee. He also argued that a school’s culture is driven by its students, inferring that the arrival of Cavan Monaghan students would have an impact on the priorities and programs at the school.
Superintendent of Education Rita Russo responded to those in attendance, indicating that behind the recommendation was a great deal of work and consideration of the issues. She expressed confidence in the effort and work of her staff who had crafted the recommendation. She resisted calls for financial analysis of the various options, insisting that the board was going to do “this” – ie balance enrolment to meet the provincial requirements. There was no evidence provided at the time that helped parents understand Option A and a variant called E were the only ones still on the table, but there was a suggestion that more financial data would be forthcoming.
Before the decision to receive the reports was approved, each of the twelve trustees were invited to comment. Cyndi Dickson, the Trustee for the Brighton/Quinte West/ Cramahe area asked why the committee was recommending moving Cavan Monaghan students from their home school to relocate other students into it, a comment that generated spontaneous applause from the gallery.
Vice Chair and Cavan Monaghan Trustee Angela Lloyd voiced her opposition to the recommendation on several grounds. She echoed parental concerns about the rural nature of the school and the fact that it has been the destination for Cavan Monaghan students since it opened. She reminded the board that part of the cultural difference between rural and urban school populations ties directly to transportation. Crestwood was designed for a rural student body. It can accommodate a significant number of buses which are necessary as few Crestwood students can walk to school. This school also has a significant parking area for students as well as teachers. Many rural students in higher grades drive to school out of necessity to participate in extracurricular activities and get to part-time jobs. The design and location of Kenner limits school buses access and parking.
The Superintendent may have full confidence in her team and may have had the benefit of reviewing a thorough financial analysis of the various proposals, but the public was not afforded this opportunity. She indicated that the board would proceed with the accommodation plan regardless of costs, saying that the board would be obliged to find the funds to cover any costs resulting from a reallocation of students. The comment runs contrary to the direction of new Minister of Education Jill Dunlop who emphasized that school boards should prioritize getting funding into the classrooms.
No one can argue that this is a challenging situation. The community deserves a transparent process backed by thorough analysis, including costing associated with the four options outlined in April. Full disclosure would demonstrate a respect for the community, and allow the community to understand the decision. Cavan Monaghan parents may still hate the decision, but they might find a way to respect the process. At the moment, it’s safe to say they hate both.
The next public consultation meeting is scheduled for October 10th at 6pm at Millbrook South Cavan Public School. Let’s hope there is enough parking. KG