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NEWS Benefits are well worth the changes ahead, says Trustee Mark Rowe lar mergers being proposed in "While the Board, with the sup- Oakville and Burlington, but at port of MPP Ted Arnott, did ev- a delegation night on April 5, erything they could to try and try no one from the Georgetown again for a new Holy Cross, the community spoke up. HCDSB Ministry would not support our launched an communication plans," said Rowe. "This consoli- program with parents and school councils since Janudation addresses ary, that included a the slowly dimincommunity meeting, ishing population online survey and at St. Francis while discussion forum and giving the Board staff presentations to room to accept school councils. new students be"As a former teachfore a new school is er at St. Francis of Asbuilt for the Vision sisi, I understand the Georgetown lands. sadness of losing such "It gives both a wonderful, compact school populations building that at one a state-of-the-art time had only walkfacility and broading students," said ens the opportuRowe. "But the bennities available for students," he TRUSTEE JOHN MARK ROWE efits are well worth the changes ahead. added. There are loud public out- Parents expressed worries about cries of protest regarding simi- everyday operations with the Continued from page 1 The proposed concept for the North Georgetown school on Berton Blvd. new school, all of which will be addressed when and if the consolidation funding is received." The merger will address longterm declining enrolments, underutilized accommodation issues and the aging Holy Cross School's site and facility issues. Holy Cross School was built in 1958, and had an enrolment of 426 in 2015, and that was expected to drop as the neighbourhood matures even further. St. Francis School was built in 1973 and in 2015 had 357 pupils attending and that too was expected to decline by 2025. As well, St. Francis is on an under-sized site, with inadequate parking and bus loading area and the playground is small. Holy Cross is on a larger site, but it is hilly with accessibility issues; the playground, for example, is accessed via 70 steps. The newly-constructed school will offer the regular JK-8 program, Extended French Immersion from Grade 5-8, and a self-contained special education program. A staff report suggested, "additional programming options could be explored, if there is an interest from the community." Approximately 85 per cent (667) of pupils would be bused to the new school. Currently 423 students are bused. The annual expenditure for the two current schools is around $885,210, but operating costs of the new school would only be $176,390 to $243,699 a year. The Board of Trustees approved four of the five bullets contained within the staff recom- HCDSB graphic mendation. They removed the following: That following the completion of the project, both sites to be declared surplus to the Board's needs, and both sites will be circulated through the Ontario Regulation 444/98 disposition process. That decision can made be at a later date, said Rowe. The proceeds from the sale of the lands, if sold, can only be used to purchase a future school site. Town to close Acton road next week A portion of Church St. in Acton will be closed from April 25-29 for needed roadwork. The roadwork involves a service connection (water/sanitary) to the new townhouse development located at the southwest corner of the Church St. E. and Eastern Ave. intersection. The road closure will be in effect from 7 a.m. on Monday, April 25 until no later than Friday, April 29 at 7 p.m. The portion of Church St. impacted is between Fellows St. and Eastern Ave. Thursday, April 21, 2016 - The IFP - Halton Hills - www.theifp.ca The proposed site of the new North Georgetown school on Berton Blvd. HCDSB graphic e-mail: hassellsauto@bellnet.ca www.hassellautomotive.com NOW ON! Spring is back, and so is our Only 11th Annual Super Spring Special - Oil & Filter and complete top to bottom check over (Excludes synthetic Oil) - Installation of summer tires (already on rims) included. - $5.00 Tim's Card - Windshield Washer Fluid $ EXTRAS 49 +HST Call for an Appointment 95 Page 3