EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story suggested Georges Vanier elementary was set to amalgamate with Villa-Francaise des Jeunes.
In fact, Conseil Scolaire Catholique du Nouvel-Ontario is contemplating two options for Georges Vanier.
One option would see the school share space with Villa-Francaise des Jeunes. The CSCNO has also studied a similar option with the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board.
Original story:
Residents took part in two separate information sessions last night: One held by Conseil Scolaire Catholique du Nouvel-Ontario (CSCNO) at Georges Vanier, and another by Conseil Scolaire Publique du Grand Nord de l'Ontario (CSPGNO) at Villa-Francaise des Jeunes.
These sessions were held to explain a space-sharing proposal regarding Georges Vanier and the high school.
Due to the amount of open space in both schools, CSCNO had performed studies to determine how to fix the open space issues and came up with the idea to partner with a different school board.
"Even though we will all be under one roof, we will still be two separate schools," said CSCNO Director of Education Lyse-Anne Papineau. "The process of moving schools and having the renovations completed can be three-plus years. There is a lot that needs to be done, especially since we will also be moving the daycare into the high school."
Two options of how to share space in both schools have been planned out.
Option A would include a new drop-off location for Georges Vanier as well as the daycare.
"We want to keep the distinction between both schools and the daycare," said Papineau. "It's two schools. Not just one big one."
Option A also includes the junior kindergarden classes up until Grade 6 on the main level, having the Grade 7 and 8 on the second floor. Teachers and staff will possibly be able to come into the school through the front, where VFJ students and staff currently enter the school. The two schools will be able to use the gym and atrium.
"There are advantages and disadvantages,” Papineau said. "We're trying to come up with the easiest solution to make the transition smooth."
The cost to renovate VFJ to hold Georges Vanier would be around $2,840,000.
Option B would consist of the two schools and the daycare using the same entrance, located at the front of the school. This would also mean that there will be no room for Georges Vanier to hold their own administration office and would have to share with the current high school. This option will also see the junior kindergarden classes until grade six on the main level and Grades 7 and 8 on the second level.
"In this situation, Villa Francaise des Jeunes will still be like the owners and Georges Vanier will be like the tenants," she said. "We will co-exist."
The cost is the same as Option A.
Parents participating at the session at the high school had similar concerns about the amalgamation, one being the parking for school staff, visitors and students.
"As it stands now, there's quite a lot of parking available outside VFJ," voiced one parent. "How are we going to make spaces for additional parking if we go with the option of two separate entrances? The portable in the back of the school (Best Start Hub) needs those spaces for the many visitors. All that's left back there is bush."
A positive note from parent Kim Breckon is with the proximity of Georges Vanier to Elliot Lake Secondary School students will now be able to make use of the track and field and the pool.
"This will encourage more students and staff to use the track and hopefully the pool, too," she said. "That's a good thing."
Director of Education for CSPGNO Marc Gauthier explained to the crowd that just because the board is a public board inviting a Catholic school and board into their school doesn't mean the high school students would be subjected to Catholic education.
"If they can put a man on the moon, they can put these two schools together," he said. "This will be a first in Ontario, having a Catholic elementary school move into a public high school. We are not trying to discourage religion. People in the public school system are not against religion. We're open to all religions.”
Some common concerns from parents who have children attending the high school are:
Would the high school students hear prayers in the morning?
Would they hear the elementary school public announcements?
Would they hear daycare children running around the school?
Where would the playground be for the elementary school students as well as the daycare students?
To answer concerns raised by parents, Gauthier explained that everyone doesn't know final details of this plan.
"We will have two separate intercoms, to start," he said. "High school students will be separate from the elementary students and daycare ones. They won't know they're there. The playground location is a work in progress. This is like a marathon and we're at the starting point."
The next meeting between the two boards will take place Jan. 30.