The Southeast Cornerstone School Division is looking for feedback on a new build in Weyburn they expect to be completed in roughly three years.
One of only two communities in the province to receive provincial funding to start planning new school builds this year, the school division is moving forward with the planning stage of tearing down Queen Elizabeth and Haig Schools in Weyburn and building one amalgamated elementary school where the now-empty former Weyburn Junior High now stands on Fifth Street. The school division wants to know if Souris parents want to be included in the new amalgamated build they are planning or if they would prefer their children stay at the smaller school on Signal Hill.
In order to answer questions and get feedback from parents of Souris School students, the division held a meeting at Souris School last night. The school serves roughly 60 families and 17 parents attended the meeting.
Lynn Little, director of education, said turnout wasn't as high as they hoped for but it still went well.
"We had hoped to come in and just have an open dialogue, help to explain 'this is a choice to make', 'this is what the options are' and then just answer any questions. There were a lot of open-ended questions so absolutely (this is) what we had hoped for," said Little. "We would like to have had more people here to have that understanding because I think in order to make a decision, the more information you have, the better informed you are to make that decision."
Lorretta Benning, Chair of the SCC at Souris School, was also disappointed with the turn out and said she hopes more parents get involved. The next SCC meeting is Wednesday, Apr. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Souris School Library and the information presented by the school division will be revisited. All Souris School parents are welcome to attend, including those with young children who will soon be attending Souris.
"This is a personal, future of your children, future of your community, decision that needs to be made based on all of the information - not hearsay in the community," she said. "I want parents to take more interest in decisions that could affect their children and take more interest in the school by coming to SCC meetings, by being more present at school functions and big discussions like this, because it is five members sitting on a committee making decisions for them that they may or may not like and they have a chance to change that."
The school division needs a decision from Souris School parents by the end of May this year so they can move forward with planning in June.
"Time is running out," said Benning of parents' opportunity to have their voices hear.
The school division's offer
Little and Andy Dobson, Manager of Facilities for the school division, presented those in attendance with a mountain of facts to consider.
The proposal for a new elementary school in Weyburn began in 2003 and it took 14 years for Weyburn to work its way to the top of the provincial school funding list. Haig and Queen Elizabeth (QE) were identified as the schools most in need of renovation or rebuild in the community because of their current capacity and the structural and functional state of their buildings, which were in a considerably worse state than Souris School. Despite being 110 years old, and probably the oldest school building still being used as a school in the province, Souris School is still structurally sound and operating at 70 per cent capacity according to Dobson. Unlike Haig, Souris's heating system and foundations are still doing very well he said.
Some of the concerns parents in attendance raised with regards to amalgamating were the sheer size of the elementary school which would likely hold roughly 600 students from pre-K to Grade 6. Also attached to that facility would be a Field House the City of Weyburn wants to build. Some parents were concerned the switch to such a large school from a school which currently has less than 150 students would be too extreme.
Some parents were also concerned about the location. Amalgamating would leave no elementary school on Signal Hill for families in that neighbourhood and would put the two resulting public elementary schools for the entire city within blocks of each other. Assiniboia Park Elementary School is roughly two blocks away from the chosen location of the school to be built.
The new school should be completed in roughly three years, by 2020, according to Dobson. He assured parents in attendance that this project would not run into nearly as many delays at the new Comprehensive school project in Weyburn because it is not as complicated of a build.
"The board is equally fine with both decisions," said Little. She explained that is why they brought the options to the parents.
The new build
The new proposed school, without the addition of Souris School students, will hold roughly 400 students. The addition of Souris School students would put the new school at a student population between 500 and 600. It is to be built at the current site of the now-empty Weyburn Junior High and would take over much of Jubilee Park. The City of Weyburn is also currently planning to partner with the school division to include a new Field House in the build.
The proposed school would be two-storey and would require parking for 80 staff, visitors, and the public who chose to visit the Field House. It also needs a bussing hub, playground area and room for a new leisure centre to one day be added on the by the city.
Souris School parents who wish to learn more about the proposed build, such as it is in these early stages, and the pros and cons of including Souris School families in the new elementary school can attend the next Souris School SCC meeting on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the school library.
Wed, Apr 24, 12:00 AM
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