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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, M ar ch 12 ,2 02 0 | 4 This means that, in Sep- tember, Robert Little will become a kindergarten to Grade 6 school, giving this year's Grade 5 students an extra year there. McKenzie-Smith Ben- nett will follow suit in Sep- tember 2021, when the Grade 7 and 8 classes are relocated to the high school. A board staff recom- mendation to approve the overhaul was moved by Halton Hills Trustee Jeanne Gray. She acknowl- edged the change isn't fa- voured by all Acton par- ents, but said she's sup- porting it for five reasons, including a reduction in the number of transitions for Robert Little students and research that indicates student retention at Acton High will be increased, al- lowing for richer course of- ferings. She also pointed out that safety concerns raised by parents worried about their children entering a high school setting at a younger age will be mitigated by an organizational plan created through an integration committee, which will be formed in September. "I am convinced that the concerns expressed by the community members will be adequately addressed through the work of this team," she said. The sentiment was ech- oed by Burlington trustee Leah Reynolds, who was involved in the boundary review process and second- ed the motion. She noted that parents can get in- volved with the committee to help shape what the new configuration will look like at Acton High. "I hope that you (par- ents) commit to being a part of this change so that it can really reflect a piece of the Acton spirit," she said. This is what local moth- er Heather Kelly said she plans to do. With her two children being impacted by the changes, she admits she was initially 100 per cent opposed to the idea. But after attending the final boundary review committee meeting last month, she said she found comfort in some of the mea- sures that've already been discussed, including the creation of dedicated hall- ways for grade 7 and 8s, along with staggered en- try, lunch and release times. "Change can be positive, albeit in this case a bit in- timidating and scary," she said. "Personally, I'll be en- suring I dedicate time to the planning committee and prepare my children, helping them welcome the change with positivity and eliminate as much appre- hension for them as possi- ble." Board officials say the boundary review process was kick-started by the fact ADHS has been underuti- lized for the past decade. The school is currently sit- ting at 71 per cent capacity with 445 students -- a num- ber that's projected to rise to 658 students by 2021 with the proposed change. The review was led by a Boundary Review Steering Committee of board staff, superintendents and trust- ees, along with a smaller Boundary Review Com- mittee that involved par- ents from all three schools. For further details visit hdsb.ca and search Acton Schools Boundary Review. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: We've covered this story every step of the way since it was first an- nounced late last year, and will continue to keep our readers informed on this important issue. NEWS Continued from page 1 CONCERNS WILL BE ADDRESSED: TRUSTEE Board officials say the boundary review process was kick-started by the fact ADHS has been underutilized for the past decade. Shutterstock photo