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OAKVILLE BEAVER Saturday, April 4, 2009 · 20 Quartet of options for Ward 4 elementary accommodation By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Halton District School Board has put forward a set of recommendations regarding elementary school boundary changes in Ward 4. The changes come on the heels of the March 25 decision on how to address accommodation problems in the area, where some schools are bursting at the seams, while others have empty pupil places. Board staff developed four boundary options, which are available for the public to view online at the school board's website at www.hdsb.ca in the April 1 meeting agenda. Trustees are scheduled to vote on the motion at the April 15 meeting. Number 2 is the preferred boundary option, according to the report prepared by Steven Parfeniuk, superintendent of business services. "What we've settled on is an option we think over the middle distance, long-term and short-term, will do things for this community," he said. A major reason option 2 is favoured is that these boundaries will ensure dual-track Palermo School, slated to welcome students in September 2010, will open with a uti- lization rate of more than 80 per cent. This number is expected to increase over time as enrolments increase within the school's catchment's area, both in terms of the English track and French immersion students. None of the four options redirect students from north of Upper Middle Road to less-crowded schools south of that road. The reason for this is a lack of support from the community, according to Parfeniuk. "We have students on busses who currently go to West Oaks, who love West Oaks and don't want to leave West Oaks," he said. "We have agreed, let's leave them there. They are happy and they aren't complaining about it. And instead of moving students from Emily Carr south to Pilgrim Wood or Heritage Glen, we're moving them down to Captain R. Wilson." The boundary change motion also includes a recommendation that schools located in Ward 4 south of Upper Middle Road offer optional attendance. This will give parents with children in crowded schools north of Upper Middle Road the option of enrolling them in these underutilized facilities. If passed, optional attendance would be permitted at Abbey Lane and Pilgrim Wood public schools starting in the 2009-10 school year and Heritage Glen Public School beginning in the 2010-11 school year. The school board is hosting a public meeting for parents and guardians of current and future Ecole Forest Trail Public School on Tuesday, April 7 from 7-9 p.m. at the school, located at 1406 Pine Glen Rd. The meeting will focus on changes in the delivery of French immersion programming in Ward 4. For information, visit the school board's website at www.hdsb.ca. Ecole Forest Trail parents invited to April 7 information meeting Parents and guardians of current and future École Forest Trail Public School students are invited to attend an information meeting on Tuesday, April 7 from 7-9 p.m. to learn about changes in the delivery of French immersion programming in Ward 4. These changes will take place in September 2009. The information meeting will take place in the gymnasium at École Forest Trail Public School, 1406 Pine Glen Rd. These changes to program delivery and accommodation are the result of a motion passed at the meeting of the Halton District School Board on March 25. The wording of the motion can be viewed at www.hdsb.ca. The implementation plan will include the establishment of the new Palermo school as a dual-track school, the determination of boundaries for the new Palermo school and establishment of the French Immersion Grade 1-3 temporary school at Lorne Skuce Public School for students who will attend the new Palermo school when it is built. Parents who wish to have a specific question addressed at this meeting should submit the question, in writing, through the École Forest Trail Public School main office. A question box has been set up for this purpose. Please submit questions by Monday, April 6 at 4 p.m. 905-338-6179 THE BASEMENT DESIGN & BUILD EXPERTS The Basement Space.com TRAFALGAR RIDGE OPT0METRY 2387 Trafalgar Rd. Oakville (HomeSense/Winners Plaza) Dr. Errol Noronha Q: Why is there such a big price difference between contractors? company's quote is A: Typically there are several reasons why onerenovation companiesmuch higher than another's. 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