Catholic board reviews schools

 The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is once again putting a group of schools under review because of ongoing problems with declining enrolment and aging facilities.

Nine schools in the board’s east planning area are undergoing an accommodation review process between now and next May: Pius XII, St. Albert Adult Learning Centre, St. Andrew, St. Bernadette, St. Charles College, St. John, St. Mark, St. Paul and St. Raphael.

“The accommodation review is a process by which you determine the future of a school,” said Roland Muzzatti, superintendent of employee relations and schools with the school board.

“In other words, we have three challenges within the board: declining enrolment, surplus spaces and aged and aging facilities.”

The accommodation review committee, made up of school staff, parents, community members, and school board representatives, held its first public meeting Oct. 7 at St. Charles College.

The next public meeting will be held Nov. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Charles College.

Two of these schools - Pius XII and St. Raphael - have sections which have been deemed prohibitive to repair. A building or section of a building is deemed prohibitive to repair if the repair costs are more than 65 per cent than the replacement costs, said Muzzatti. He said he could not comment on how much it would cost to repair the two schools, although that information would be shared with the public as the accommodation review advances.

Muzzatti said “it’s too early to tell” whether any of the schools would be closed or if students from several schools would be brought together in a newly-built school. “We’re not at the option-setting stage. In the new year this committee will be proposing certain options regarding accommodation, because at the end of the day, the challenge is, how do we best serve our students?”

The school board underwent two accommodation reviews during the last school year, resulting in school closures and other changes. As a result of a review of the north west planning area, St. Mary’s school became a kindergarten to Grade 6 school as of this fall, and the Grade 7 and 8 classes were transferred to St. Anne’s school.

It was also decided that within the next five years, Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School will become a Grade 7 to 12 facility.

The review of the south central planning area resulted in the impending closure of four schools: St. Christopher, St. Michael, St. Theresa and Corpus Christi. A new “green” elementary school will be built on the grounds of St. Benedict’s Catholic Secondary School by September of 2011.

Upcoming public meetings of accommodation review committee: 
- Nov. 25, 7-9 p.m., St. Charles College 
- Jan. 13, 7-9 p.m., St. Charles College 
- Feb. 17, 7-9 p.m., St. Charles College