CDSBEO plans closures

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) voted at their October 4th meeting to begin a Pupil Accomodation Review of schools in the board.

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n The review affects nine schools in Cornwall including St. Joseph`s Catholic Secondary School.

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n Under the proposed plan, St. Columban`s, Immaculate Conception and Sacred Heart elementary schools would close, with students transferred to remaining elementary schools in Cornwall.

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n Grade 7-8 students in all Catholic elementary schools in Cornwall would move to St. Joe`s which would be converted to a dual-track Grade 7-12 school. St. Joe`s is the only catholic secondary school in the CDSBEO that is not dual-tracked.

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n The planned changes to St. Joe’s include rebuilding the school or relocating to a new building with approval of provincial funding.

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n The building housing St. Joe’s was built in 1966 making it one of the oldest and most expensive schools to operate in the CDSBEO.

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n Not affected in the board`s 166-page report is St. Mary-St. Cecilia Catholic School in Morrisburg or Our Lady of Good Counsel in Ingleside. Both K-8 grade schools are feeder elementary schools to St. Joe’s in Cornwall. The Grade 7-8 classes will not be affected.

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n “No, they will not be relocated,” said CDSBEO director of education William. J. Gartland in a statement to The Leader. The relocation of Grade 7-8 to the secondary school will not affect enrolment rules for non-catholic students.

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n “These students will adhere to the same process we have for all non-Catholic students from JK to Grade 8,” said Gartland.

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n “The process includes the submission of a form for non-Catholic student admission, and the students are admitted based on space availability.”

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n The PAR process will take place over the next six months with public consultation starting in November.

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n The school board’s vote on a final plan will take place May 2, 2017 with changes taking effect in 2018.

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