EDMONTON – A plan to ease the high enrolment numbers at two city schools has been unveiled, but it’s not sitting well with the parents and students it will affect.
The plan addresses over-crowding concerns at Esther Starkman and Johnny Bright schools in southwest Edmonton through a number of changes.
At Esther Starkman, the grade eights and nines will move to Avalon. Hodgson, Magrath Heights and Mactaggart neighbourhoods have also been removed from the attendance area. Children from those areas will now attend Riverbend Junior High.
Meanwhile, the grade eights and nines from Johnny Bright will go to D.S. Mackenzie.
Students outside the attendance area of either school will have to change schools, as well.
School board officials say they considered all of their options and this decision affects as few students as possible – just under 600. No staff will be laid off because of the changes.
“This has been a very difficult decision to make,” says Superintendent of Edmonton Public Schools, Edgar Schmidt. “Our issue is that we simply do not have the space in the building and we need to address that issue. And we’ve provided supports for our families to let them know how best we can make that transition. We want to make it as smooth as we possibly can. But I also recognize that people are upset.”
Upset doesn’t even cover it for some parents.
“The words I’m seeing is betrayal,” says Daylin Breen with the Johnny Bright Parent Council. “People are really upset. They’ve put a lot of hard work in towards building a strong school community.”
One parent, whose two children will have to change schools, was in tears over the news.
“They don’t want to leave their friends,” the mother said, crying. “And now I have to find a new school… It’s just not right.”
“It’s devastating for familieas. It’s devastating for the kids,” adds Jane Hladky. She says her daughter cried for two and a half hours when she heard she’d have to change schools.
Mike Lanteigne, Chairman of Esther Starkman School Council admits the plan is not what he thought would be the best decision.
“To relay the info to the parents that grade eight and nine has to go to other schools really kills the school culture. My only hope is that it’s only short-term,” he says.
Lanteigne also hopes a new school will be built in the area in the near future. He thinks it’s something the government needs to make more of a priority.
“New school construction needs to be priority number one and it needs to be funded by the Treasury, by our province, and it needs to be an urgent priority.”
Drop-in information sessions have been set up for parents at both schools. The dates and times are as follows:
Esther Starkman – March 6 – between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Johnny Bright – March 7 – between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
With files from Nancy Carlson and Fletcher Kent, Global News
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