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The Anglophone West District Education Council voted unanimously to close four aging Fredericton schools and build two larger schools Thursday night, but reaction form parents is mixed.
“Being a single mom and not having a support network in the city, it’s nice to know that the teachers understand where you are coming from,” said Charity Marr, a mother of a Liverpool School student.
Kimberley Douglass says they can maintain the close knit community that many parent are accustomed to.
“We believe the district can create and does create the same atmosphere in larger schools that they are looking for, that they have in their smaller schools,” says Kimberley Douglas, chair of the district’s Education Council.
A sustainability study of the four schools found all but one in the district were over crowded, and the study recommended the larger schools.
“Nashaaksis Memorial is at a 102 perc ent capacity,” Douglas said.
Forest Hill Elementary is operating at 86 per cent capacity, and Liverpool Street at 82 per cent. McAdam Avenue School is well below average with 65 students and a 31 per cent capacity.
“Our schools are busting at the seems, we have portables, we have resource kids in hallways. It would be really lovely if we could have a space for all kids to meet all the needs,” said Dale Chisholm, chair of Liverpool Street School PSSE
Those needs include cafeterias, computer labs and indoor recreational space.
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The change would merge Forest Hill Elementary and Liverpool Street School on the south side and on the north side McAdam Avenue School and Nashaaksis Memorial School.
Education Minister Dominic Cardy must approve the changes, and funding will have to come from the province. At this time the total cost for the new schools is unknown and the current four schools will stay operational until the two new schools are constructed.
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