Whisper
January 31st, 2008, 07:03 AM
If enough parents show interest in enrolling their children in a black-focused school, the Toronto board could start up two.
The day after trustees voted to establish what is being called the country's first Africentric alternative school – expected to open in September 2009 – Gerry Connelly said if a lot of parents want to enrol their children, the board would consider opening up another.
"It could be more than one, or we could decide to have a school with 800 students," said Connelly, director of education for the Toronto District School Board, adding it would depend on what size of school parents would like.
But, she added, the intent is to keep such a school – or schools – smaller. In general, alternative schools enrol 100 to 200 students.
The board plans to soon send out a survey to parents across the city to find out who's interested, and where.
But no matter how many such schools the board ends up authorizing, the provincial government has no intention of providing any additional funding, Education Minister Kathleen Wynne said yesterday.
"We've been clear from the beginning of this discussion that our preference was to have kids learning in inclusive environments and inclusive classrooms," she said in an interview yesterday after meeting with Toronto trustees – a meeting arranged prior to the board setting a date to vote on the Africentric issue.
"I made it clear in my remarks, and they know there is not special funding for alternative programs or alternative schools. They have to find that within their own budgets."
Wynne said short of changing the Education Act, the province does not have the authority to override the board on this issue.
The board is already working on the proposal, which was approved by trustees at a meeting Tuesday night.
By May, it expects to have the results of the parent survey, finished consulting with communities and pinpointed possible locations for an Africentric school, as well as decide what grades it will have.
The board has said the school, as well as the three other initiatives it approved in the hopes of improving the academic performance of black students – who are falling behind and dropping out in large numbers – will initially cost $820,000.
Trustee Josh Matlow called Tuesday night's vote "irresponsible," as the board is "chronically in deficit."
It's already facing a deficit of about $40 million for the 2008-09 school year as well as many potentially costly recommendations to implement from a recent report on school safety.
"We are making a commitment we can't fulfill," he said of the Africentric school, which he voted against.
Tuesday night's vote was close – 11 to 9 – and followed two hours of passionate speeches from both supporters and critics of black-focused schools. In the end, trustees voted to:
Go ahead with an Africentric school, to open in September 2009.
Create and use a curriculum that includes the history and culture of blacks, as well as other minority groups, in three existing schools.
Establish a centre for research and innovation, initially with York University, to look at helping at-risk students.
Develop an action plan to "address underachievement for all marginalized and vulnerable students" in Toronto public schools.
Wynne said she is pleased the board is looking at a more inclusive curriculum.
And while she has concerns about the Africentric school, the Toronto board could house such a school inside an existing one, ensuring they would be among a more multicultural student body.
"There are many alternative schools that are schools within schools or programs within schools, so they will actually be in the context of a more diverse environment," she said.
Board chair John Campbell said it's a shame all the focus has been on the Africentric school, because it's just a "small nugget" of what the board is doing.
Even without extra funding from the province, he believes "there is enough flexibility" in the board's $2 billion budget to pay for the initiative.
While supporters continue to call for the school to open this fall, Connelly said curriculum and staffing decisions can't be made that quickly.
Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher, who voted in favour of the recommendations, said the Africentric school needs to be elementary.
"Starting a high school is insane," she said, because problems begin much earlier on.
She's hoping the board can start an Africentric kindergarten to Grade 4 program, for about 100 students, by this fall.
"It's not impossible – it's small and doable and non-threatening" to the community, she added.
John Tory, leader of Ontario's Conservative party, yesterday said that during the provincial election, both Premier Dalton McGuinty and Wynne were against the idea of public funding for faith-based schools, saying it would separate students.
"Yet all of a sudden, four months later they both are willing to allow the Toronto District School Board, a provincially funded body, to do so," he said in a release.
The day after trustees voted to establish what is being called the country's first Africentric alternative school – expected to open in September 2009 – Gerry Connelly said if a lot of parents want to enrol their children, the board would consider opening up another.
"It could be more than one, or we could decide to have a school with 800 students," said Connelly, director of education for the Toronto District School Board, adding it would depend on what size of school parents would like.
But, she added, the intent is to keep such a school – or schools – smaller. In general, alternative schools enrol 100 to 200 students.
The board plans to soon send out a survey to parents across the city to find out who's interested, and where.
But no matter how many such schools the board ends up authorizing, the provincial government has no intention of providing any additional funding, Education Minister Kathleen Wynne said yesterday.
"We've been clear from the beginning of this discussion that our preference was to have kids learning in inclusive environments and inclusive classrooms," she said in an interview yesterday after meeting with Toronto trustees – a meeting arranged prior to the board setting a date to vote on the Africentric issue.
"I made it clear in my remarks, and they know there is not special funding for alternative programs or alternative schools. They have to find that within their own budgets."
Wynne said short of changing the Education Act, the province does not have the authority to override the board on this issue.
The board is already working on the proposal, which was approved by trustees at a meeting Tuesday night.
By May, it expects to have the results of the parent survey, finished consulting with communities and pinpointed possible locations for an Africentric school, as well as decide what grades it will have.
The board has said the school, as well as the three other initiatives it approved in the hopes of improving the academic performance of black students – who are falling behind and dropping out in large numbers – will initially cost $820,000.
Trustee Josh Matlow called Tuesday night's vote "irresponsible," as the board is "chronically in deficit."
It's already facing a deficit of about $40 million for the 2008-09 school year as well as many potentially costly recommendations to implement from a recent report on school safety.
"We are making a commitment we can't fulfill," he said of the Africentric school, which he voted against.
Tuesday night's vote was close – 11 to 9 – and followed two hours of passionate speeches from both supporters and critics of black-focused schools. In the end, trustees voted to:
Go ahead with an Africentric school, to open in September 2009.
Create and use a curriculum that includes the history and culture of blacks, as well as other minority groups, in three existing schools.
Establish a centre for research and innovation, initially with York University, to look at helping at-risk students.
Develop an action plan to "address underachievement for all marginalized and vulnerable students" in Toronto public schools.
Wynne said she is pleased the board is looking at a more inclusive curriculum.
And while she has concerns about the Africentric school, the Toronto board could house such a school inside an existing one, ensuring they would be among a more multicultural student body.
"There are many alternative schools that are schools within schools or programs within schools, so they will actually be in the context of a more diverse environment," she said.
Board chair John Campbell said it's a shame all the focus has been on the Africentric school, because it's just a "small nugget" of what the board is doing.
Even without extra funding from the province, he believes "there is enough flexibility" in the board's $2 billion budget to pay for the initiative.
While supporters continue to call for the school to open this fall, Connelly said curriculum and staffing decisions can't be made that quickly.
Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher, who voted in favour of the recommendations, said the Africentric school needs to be elementary.
"Starting a high school is insane," she said, because problems begin much earlier on.
She's hoping the board can start an Africentric kindergarten to Grade 4 program, for about 100 students, by this fall.
"It's not impossible – it's small and doable and non-threatening" to the community, she added.
John Tory, leader of Ontario's Conservative party, yesterday said that during the provincial election, both Premier Dalton McGuinty and Wynne were against the idea of public funding for faith-based schools, saying it would separate students.
"Yet all of a sudden, four months later they both are willing to allow the Toronto District School Board, a provincially funded body, to do so," he said in a release.