By Staff
May 5th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Parents in Burlington have been waiting for months for their opportunity to address the Halton District School Board trustees on the staff recommendation to close Bateman high school and Lester B. Pearson high school.
The following 25 people have been selected by the trustees to speak on Monday May 8, 2017 starting at 6 pm
Sharon Picken will be delegating
Seating is limited – the overflow will be able to watch the proceedings via a video link in the theatre studio at M.M. Robinson high school
1. Fiona Wielhouwer – Pearson Cooperative Nursery School
2. Carla Marshall – Autism Ontario, Halton Chapter
3. Sharon Picken, David Picken, Kimberley Picken – Self-Contained Programs at Robert Bateman HS
4. Casey Cosgrove – Nelson High School
5. Gary Scobie – Community Member
6. Paul Brophy – Community Member
7. Denise Nacev, Matthew Nacev – Diversity and inclusion at Robert Bateman HS
8. Jodi Correia, Shelley Wettlaufer, Loretta Chin, Colleen Allan & Tracey Kunzli – Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School
9. Adam Doering – Community Member
10. Michael Hribljan – Burlington Central High School
11. Carolyn Whiskin – Burlington Central and ESL Program
12. Lisa Bull, Brian DePoe – Robert Bateman High School Tech Programs
13. Leah Bisutti – LB Pearson High School
Casey Cosgrove will be delegating.
14. Dianna Bower, Marie Madenzides – MM Robinson High School
15. Amy D’Souza – LB Pearson High School
16. Kristen Priestner – Nelson High School
17. Carter Creechan – Robert Bateman High School
18. Jim Dunn Robert Bateman High School
19. Erin Hossack Robert – Bateman High School Alumni
20. Shasni Pathirana – Burlington Central High School
21. Marianne Anderson – International Baccalaureate Program
22. Jennifer Bishop – Robert Bateman High School
23. John Norris – Robert Bateman High School
24. Christine Hall – International Baccalaureate Program
25. Rory Nisan – Community Member
This is an important part of the process. Parents have not been given much of an opportunity to speak out. The Gazette has published hundreds of comments and withheld publishing almost as many because they were rude, inappropriate and in some cases just plain foul.
The Board has yet to decide if there will be a third evening of delegations. The number of applications to speak has yet to exceed 100.
The 11 trustees are the people who make the final decision. They do not have to accept the recommendation given to them by Stuart Miller, Director of Education.
One recommendation is to not close any of the high schools at this point in time. Another is to take a hard look at the boundaries.
This is the public’s opportunity to help the trustees make the best decision for all the families that send children to the public school system.
Do everyone proud.
The Gazette will publish the delegations and would appreciate the 25 people named above sending us their delegation which we will embargo until 6 pm on Monday the 8th.
Send whatever you have to newsdesk@bgzt.ca – and may the force go with you.
Why is no one mentioning that the Board buses high school kids from Lakeshore woods in Oakville (i.e. right on the other side of Burloak) to Blakelock HS when they are close enough to walk to Bateman… Or that they are planning to build an elementary school in Lakeshore woods (see the latest LTAP) but both Frontenac and Mohawk Gardens have space and are nearby. Oh wait – Oakville is like North Burlington – they whine and get new schools while ours close.
It is interesting to read chair Kelly Amos’ comments from October 3 2014:
“The biggest challenge facing Oakville, especially Wards 5 & 6 is the continued growth and because of the growth, the need for more schools to support the new students to the area. The HDSB long term accommodation plan has potentially up to 6 new schools in the northeast Oakville area, and the challenge will be to convince the province of the need to fund the building of these schools. I have already initiated discussion between the Board and our local MPP’s regarding the need for these schools and will continue to advocate on the communities behalf. The first school for this area has been funded and will hopefully be open for the 2015/16 school year.” ( Inside Halton Oct 3 2014 )
Isn’t it unusual how growth somehow stops at the Oakville / Burlington border, and the Burlington / Milton border? Burlington must be this isolated, tiny wasteland of no growth. Strange how in every study except HDSB, Burlington consistently ranks at the top of per capita income in Canada, and tops the list year after year of most desirable cities to live in Canada. I guess we should just “trust” the numbers from HDSB staff and continue our steady decline.
Thanks to the staff of the Burlington Gazette for your coverage of the HDSB Burlington Secondary School PAR and for hosting the related reply blogs.