RAINBOW DISTRICT—Gore Bay council is concerned about the future of its local elementary school following the release of a Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) long-term capital data report that shows enrolment at Manitoulin schools is decreasing and some schools are considered at a critical rate in relation to utilization of space in the facilities.
“We received this report late last week from the Rainbow Board through our local trustee (Larry Killens),” Gore Bay Mayor Ron Lane told council at a meeting held Monday. “I read through the report and a few red flags went up concerning the future of schools on the Island. Of course we are concerned about the future of our elementary school in Gore Bay (Charles C. McLean Public School).”
Mayor Lane noted, “it is clear from this report that enrolment is falling in both secondary and elementary schools in Island schools and the school board area. It is expected over the next five years enrolment will continue to fall. The problem is that it means more space in the school facilities aren’t being utilized and this has to be monitored. There are a number of schools in the poor or critical zone. Obviously we have a concern if there is any possibility we may lose our school in town in the future. There is only one school on Manitoulin that is not in the critical category for space utilization.”
“Assiginack public school is in good shape, which means they have a school space utilization rate of 79 percent (of the school space being utilized),” said Norm Blaseg, director of the RDSB after a board meeting last week. The rest of our schools on Manitoulin are below that rate (being in the poor zone 50-69 percent space utilization). They are not in a critical rate at this point.”
Mr. Blaseg explained, “the purpose of this long-term capital data plan is to bring to the table all data to inform municipalities and residents about our 2016 capital plan, which is moving forward. To that end we have put this report together. Phase Two will be holding meetings with municipal representatives and members of the public stakeholders between February 17-19, showing the data to them and getting their input and to see if they have, or can help, in finding ways of having the space used by agencies or organizations.”
“Generally we are trying to share information that we have some challenges with high number of excess spaces in our schools,” said Mr. Blaseg. He said with a lack of school space utilization it creates a higher cost to operate schools and the board needs to find other dollars to make up for this.
“For instance, if a school is at 65 percent capacity (of space being used) it is very costly to provide things like special education and guidance full-time in smaller schools. This all creates challenges in how to supply needed supports in a number of schools that fall into these categories.”
“As I mentioned, Assiginack Public School is in pretty good shape with a space utilization rate of 79 percent,” said Mr. Blaseg. “All the rest of the schools on Manitoulin are below that; it does not mean they are at a critical rate now, but we need to find ways to solve the utilization issue.”
Mr. Killens said, “right now our schools on the Island are in fairly good shape but there are concerns for the future.”
In the report it is noted that in the elementary panel the enrolment trend across the entire RDSB system went from 10,029 in 2006 to 8,462 in 2015. On the secondary panel the numbers of students decreased as well, from 6,468 in 2006 to 5,030 in 2015; while the overall (RDSB) enrolment in the same period went from 16,497 to 13,492. Enrolment figures for both the elementary and secondary panels over the next five years are expected to further decline, as is the overall five-year projected enrolment.
For Assiginack Public School the 2015-2016 estimated average daily enrolment is 124 and by 2019-20 it is projected to be 112, with on the ground capacity of 118 by 2015-2016. The utilization rate for the school for this year is 105 percent and is projected by 2019-2020 to be 95 percent. There are no excess pupil spaces currently, but there are expected to be six by 2019-2020. Using the same years for Central Manitoulin Public School, the current average daily enrolment is 179, 165 projected in 2019-2020 and an on-ground capacity of 286. The school has a utilization rate of 63 percent in 2015-2016 and 58 percent utilization expected in 2019-2020; there are 107 excess pupil spaces in 2015-2016 and projected to be 121 in 2019-2020.
For Charles C. McLean Public School (Gore Bay) there is an average daily enrolment of 158, which is expected to be 139 in 2019-2020 and an on-ground capacity of 303. The current space utilization rate is 52 percent and projected to be 46 percent in 2019-2020. With 145 excess pupil spaces in 2015-2016 and 164 anticipated in 2019-2020.
For Little Current Public School, the current average daily enrolment is 323, estimated to be 318 in 2019-20 and an on-ground capacity of 518; 62 percent space utilization this year and 61 percent in 2019-2020, with 195 excess pupil spaces in 2015-2016 and 200 in 2019-2020.
For Manitoulin Secondary School the average daily enrolment is 440, estimated to be 401 in 2019-2020, with a current on-ground capacity of 744; with a current space utilization rate of 59 percent this year and 54 percent in 2019-2020 and 304 excess pupil spaces in 2015-2016 and 343 excess pupil spaces in 2019-2020.
Mr. Blaseg pointed out, “one of our challenges as a board is that in three years we will be losing significant number of dollars (from the province) to provide the supports needed for all our schools overall.” In 2016-2017 the RDSB will lose $1.3 million in funding; $2.6 million the following year and $4.0 million in funding in the third year.
“So basically, we have three years to get our house in order so we can sustain what we have currently,” said Mr. Blaseg. “We have to do a big review and find savings annually. The province has indicated school boards cannot incur a debt. This is why we have initiated this capital plan to look at where we, and hopefully with municipalities’ help, can find savings, typically from underutilized schools.”
“The board will be having a major challenge dealing with this issue,” Mayor Lane told council Monday. “I think we should be asking Mr. Blaseg to come to a council meeting and discuss how the board is looking at how to deal with this and what the implications are for small schools and how we can help.”
Only Island municipalities with schools in them received the report, said Mayor Lane, who said other Western Manitoulin municipalities should be asked to be at the meeting as well.
“This is a critical issue for Western Manitoulin and all of the Island,” said Mayor Lane.
The RDSB is holding staff meetings with community partners to discuss partnership opportunities February 17-19, with a meeting to be held at Manitoulin Secondary School on Friday, February 19 at 11 am.
