Parents seek public consulation on temporary closure of Peterborough’s King George Public School

A group of parents of elementary school students in Peterborough are seeking a public consultation over a decision to bus students outside the city this fall.

Last November, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board announced that renovations at King George Public School would force the closure of the school for the 2019-2020 school year due to concerns for students’ safety at the site in East City.

As a result, the approximately 330 students (kindergarten to Grade 6) will be bussed to the former Ridpath Public School site in the village of Lakefield in Selwyn Township, about 14 kilometres north of Peterborough.

The renovations are part of plans to amalgamate King George and Armour Heights Public School under the King George roof in East City. An accommodation review in 2016 recommended amalgamating the schools due to declining enrolment and rising maintenance costs for the aging buildings. The board’s report at the time stated the 105-year-old King George was at 80 per cent capacity; the 65-year-old Armour Heights was at 73 per cent capacity.

Construction is set to begin this June. Initially, when the project was announced, the renovations were scheduled to be completed in September 2019.

However, a number of parents have launched a survey to collect comments and concerns on the student relocation and current renovations. Among them is Donald Fraser who says they’re planning an open meeting and will present their findings during the board’s regular public meeting on Jan. 22.

“So far the board has resisted a public consultation process,” said Fraser.

Fraser says the parents’ group is encouraging parents and staff at both East City schools and future parents to provide questions and comments via email. They’re also invited to join the group’s Facebook page

During two recent meetings hosted by the school board, the group “King George Parents 2019-2020” says they outlined a number of concerns about the amalgamation plans, future plans for King George and the decision to relocate students to a different municipality. Among them include:

• Disruption to family and community life
• Transportation hardships, particularly for parents/primary caregivers without vehicles
• Lack of access to children throughout the school day
• Transportation safety concerns by using buses along the Lakefield highway route
• Emergency protocols for illness, inclement weather, and student needs
• Student capacity issues with the new school, which the group says will be close to capacity at its opening and does not take into account current plans for new East City subdivisions/apartment complexes
• Transportation infrastructure and safety issues surrounding the future school site: massive water containment issues, access problems on Hunter Street, current plans for new residential units, and the new Canadian Canoe Museum alongside the Peterborough Lift Lock
• “Unrealistic” construction timelines to prevent having students relocated for a second full school year
• A decision-making process that shut out parents until after decisions were made

In a statement issued to CHEX News, the board highlighted a recent presentation to parents, stressing that King George Public School must be vacated during the construction period to ensure student safety.

“Unfortunately, as explained at the meeting, there is not a building in Peterborough that can house the entire school community,” the statement reads.

The board says it is also reviewing a number of questions and suggestions raised from parents and will offer more input at the Jan. 22 meeting. Among the considerations include allowing new kindergarten students to attend Armour Heights next year, depending on space and students’ needs.

WATCH: King George Public School students prepare for the big move to Lakefield

3:37 King George Public School students prepare for the big move to Lakefield