Upper Grand District School Board -

GUELPH, Ontario – Upper Grand District School Board Trustees have approved several recommendations as part of the West Guelph French Immersion (FI) Boundary Review.

Background

In May 2017, staff confirmed that a new FI program will be accommodated at Gateway Drive Public School (JK-3) and Willow Road Public School (grades 4-8).

On May 23, trustees approved the initiation of the West Guelph FI Boundary Review to confirm the new JK-8 FI boundary for Gateway Drive PS and Willow Road PS. The boundary review also examined the impact of the new boundary on Paisley Road Public School and John McCrae Public School, which currently accommodate FI students from West Guelph.

A public information session was held in June to share background information as well as details of the boundary and proposed implementation options reviewed by the staff committee. Feedback was received at the public meeting as well as on feedback forms, online, and through direct communication to staff and trustees.

Following the consultation period, the board staff committee met to discuss the input received, discussed additional implementation options to minimize the impact on families affected by the boundary change, and made their final recommendations to be presented to trustees.

Approved Recommendations

At the September Board Meeting, trustees approved several recommendations, which confirmed the new FI enrolment caps and boundaries for Gateway Drive PS and Willow Road PS, as well as altered FI enrolment caps and boundaries for Paisley Road PS and John McCrae PS.

The new FI boundary includes the area west of the Hanlon Expressway, north of the Speed River and east of the Guelph-Woolwich Townline.

The new FI program will grow gradually at Gateway Drive and Willow Road, with Gateway Drive accommodating JK and SK in September 2018 – the program will grow by a grade a year. Effective September 2023, Willow Road PS will accommodate grades 4-5 FI students feeding from Gateway Drive. Willow Road PS will continue to grow by a grade each year to accommodate grades 4-8 FI by 2026-27.

The new FI program will start as JK/SK, therefore in 2018-19 all grade 1-8 FI students that reside within the new West Guelph FI boundary will be grandparented at Paisley Road PS and John McCrae PS until the end of grade 8.

The table below highlights the implementation of grades for the boundary changes:

The approved recommendations also include a change to the grade configurations in existing FI schools, with Paisley Road PS gradually becoming JK-6 FI. Students from within the new Paisley Road PS boundary will continue to attend John McCrae PS for grades 7 and 8.

The table below highlights the implementation of grade changes for students who reside within the modified FI boundaries for Paisley Road PS/John McCrae PS.

Trustees approved a recommendation to set the JK FI cap at Gateway PS and modify the JK FI caps at Paisley Road PS and John McCrae PS.  The cap changes increase the number of JK FI spaces from92 to 116, by establishing the following JK FI caps effective in September 2018:

• 29 JK FI students at Gateway Drive PS

• 29 JK FI students at Paisley Road PS

• 58 JK FI students at John McCrae PS

Also as part of the approved recommendations, board staff will convene a Transition Planning Team before the end of this school year to work with the school communities in developing and implementing plans at all four schools to help with transitions.

For the full list of approved recommendations, reports, boundary maps and implementation details.

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Media contact:
Heather Loney, Communications and Community Engagement Officer
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.725
Email Heather Loney

Megan Sicoli, Administrative Officer, Communications
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.764
Email Megan Sicoli