Addition may subtract junior high

In a letter from Department of Education Deputy Minister Dennis Cochrane, he suggested the board consider building an addition to an existing school rather than a whole new school.

“Alternatives may exist for accommodating your South Queens Junior High population in an addition and alterations project to (Dr. John C. Wickwire or Liverpool Regional High School),” Cochrane states in the letter.

“It’s quite a surprise for the school staff. We’ve been talking about (building a new school) for a very long time. To then go back and look at something we hadn’t considered was a surprise,” said board Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake.

This doesn’t rule out a new school but she said if an addition turns out to be the better option, it could happen sooner than a new school.

Deputy Minister Cochrane said in a separate meeting with the board, an addition could be more economical and efficient because cafeterias and gymnasiums could be shared. He added the province takes this into consideration when approving new schools.

“It’s not an unreasonable request for us to have a look at,” said Pynch-Worthylake.

Elliot Payzant, chair of the elected school board said the board is neutral to the idea at the moment.

“(The School Board) agreed that if there was an alternative to a new school we would look at it.”

“Of course the junior high had been slated for years for renovations and that hadn’t happened, and it continued to deteriorate. It got to the point where it didn’t make too much sense to spend the amount we were talking about when the end we could build a new school for the same amount of money.

“At the same time, we hadn’t thought about adding to the Wickwire or the high school.”

Leo Campbell, principal at South Queens Junior High said he does have concerns about the idea.

“The first is Junior High/Middle School students are very unique, and I think from everything I believe in they should be separate from the elementary or the high school.

“The second is programming. If we were to merge with one of the schools, what would we lose?

“The last is job loss. I believe, though I don’t have any facts and figures, 10 to 15 staff could be lost.” Campbell added this is not necessarily teachers, but more likely administration and support staff.

However, he said a good solution could come out of this.

“I do understand that the deputy has asked the school board to look at options. We’re not that close minded (and) any of these options explored could be in the best interest for the students.”

Pynch-Worthylake echoed this sentiment, saying the board wants to do what’s best for the students.

“What we don’t want, the families were clear and I agree 100 per cent, is to go back to a middle high school all mixed together. If we were going to explore it we would have to have a completely separate middle school that simply shared the gym and cafeteria. If we went P-8, we would want a very separate, 6-8 sharing the gym and cafeteria.”

Although she added merging with the Wickwire School would present a few challenges.

“With daily phys ed. compulsory to Primary to 9, I can’t imagine how we would survive with one gymnasium,” she said.

Since this is something they hadn’t thought about before, the board is now moving quickly to explore the two sites. Barry Butler, board Director of Operations, will be going to the schools to see how feasible the idea is.

“Our goal is to get it done as fast as possible in order to have a decision by cabinet in January,” says Pynch-Worthylake.

No one from the School Advisory Committee could be reached for comment at deadline.