Milton school ‘review’ could hurt students

Chair Liz Brown explains the committee will present information and opinions to the public and seek input in return to determine if residents agree or not with the membership’s objection to the possible closing. Information notices have already been sent out through the students.

The South Shore Regional School Board hasn’t made such a decision but has adopted a recommendation put forth in its School Utilization study to review the school for closing.

Basically, Brown says committee members believe programming will decline in southern Queens’ schools, which is contrary to the purpose of the School Utilization study.

The closing will lead to moving Grade 6 students at Dr. John C. Wickwire Academy to South Queens Junior High School and Grade 9 students at the junior high school to Liverpool Regional High School, she says as one example. “Just because these kids can all be squeezed into these schools doesn’t mean it will be a positive thing for students at any grade level.”

In a Wickwire Grade Primary to Grade 5 school, for example, she says, students will receive two days of “gym” as opposed to three days at Milton.

In junior high, the new Grade 6 students will lose a year of music, she adds. She was also advised the high school could lose its art program because the new Grade 9 students would require space.

Planning and the accreditation process will have to begin all over again as well, she says. “We will only accept the school’s closure when we have equal or more programs to offer.”

She says committee members understand enrolment is declining but that the board should wait until the numbers reach the point where programming won’t be affected. “What is the rush, and it’s going to dismantle a team of highly trained professions (in Milton).” She explains Milton offers a unique learning setting for younger children.

She adds the board should fill the vacant South Shore Regional School Board District 1 seat – which covers Milton - as quickly as possible with a local representative. “The missing seat is unacceptable. I’d like to see someone local. I’d do it if it meant I didn’t need to drop the fight as School Advisory Committee chair.”