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Partnerships to be sought for Central

BY Matthew Talbot, STAFF February 04, 2010 06:02

BARRIE - There were cheers Monday night as Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) staff was told to pursue partnerships for a new Barrie Central Collegiate Institute, but that optimism was quickly deflated.

An Accommodation Review Committee has been struck for Barrie Central and the Simcoe County District School Board isn't hiding the fact that closing the school is its end goal.

There were no cheers from the school's supporters this time.

Innisfil Trustee Donna Armstrong called the ARC the "best method we have," though admitted it is a "messy" process.

The committee will also look at accommodations at Barrie North Collegiate Institute, Bear Creek Secondary School, Eastview Secondary School and Innisdale Secondary School. The committee is slated to begin its review process in September.

Severn, Ramara and Tay Trustee Jodi Lloyd reminded the board Ministry of Education facilitator Dave Cook called for the direction of an ARC to be clearly stated at its outset during his review of a previous SCDSB ARC process.

That ARC led to the decision to close Tecumseth North Public School and Prince of Wales Public School.

Lloyd told the smattering of Barrie Central supporters (far fewer than at the Jan. 27 meeting when the idea of an ARC was first broached) that an ARC would look at closing Central and rebuilding it elsewhere.

"We went to the ministry to get a replacement school and we didn't get it," she said, adding the SCDSB doesn't have the money to replace or repair the school where it is now.

That's why parents and students have been pushing for partnerships with community members to help fund the school.

Partnerships formed the basis of Barrie Wards trustee Mary Anne Wilson's motion on Jan. 27, which sparked a discussion that took up the entire meeting.

Discussion resumed Monday night.

While some trustees felt a motion to pursue partnerships with community members shouldn't focus solely on one school in Barrie, Wilson's Jan. 27 motion narrowly passed 5-4. Central supporters cheered.

Associate Director Carol McAulay said the ministry encouraged the board to look at partnerships in all communities by the end of 2010, and said a countywide "symposium" to this effect is being planned.

However, she said she hoped an "ARC process would have helped bring partnership discussions to the table" without having it mandated by a separate motion.

"This idea of partnerships does not replace an ARC," Wilson said, adding the ARC would be officially struck eight months from now, which is too long to leave potential partners hanging.

"We would be sitting silent on the subject of partnerships for eight, nine months or more," she said. "We really owe it to our communities to open up discussions now."

Wilson's motion was amended to have staff bring a report on partnerships for Central to trustees in June rather than in September.

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