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January 11, 2024 Update

Dear Elementary School Families – Port Hope High School

As you know, last year we engaged in an extensive consultation process with families to seek input on possible approaches to student accommodation pressures in the community. Specifically, we have been experiencing significant accommodation pressures at Ganaraska Trail PS.

Thank you again to all the families and community members who shared their voice, either in-person or online, throughout those meetings. As you know, and flowing directly from those consultation meetings, in March the Board approved the creation of a second French Immersion program in the area, to be established at Beatrice Strong Public School, effective September 2024.

I am writing today to share that, at last evening’s Resource Committee meeting, administration provided an update to the Board on next steps in the establishment of this program at Beatrice Strong PS. That update will be provided to the full Board of Trustees at its January 23 Regular Meeting.

As of September 2024, the new French Immersion Program at Beatrice Strong will begin with all primary (SK-3) French Immersion students residing within the catchment of Beatrice Strong PS and North Hope Central PS. Grades 4 and 5 French Immersion students who currently attend Ganaraska Trail PS, from within the catchment of Beatrice Strong PS and North Hope PS, will remain at Ganaraska Trail PS and move on to Dr. M.S. Hawkins Senior PS with their peers.

We recognize that accommodation issues can be challenging for students, and we believe this implementation strategy is in alignment with community feedback, which was to:

• keep children in their communities,
• keep school divisions together,
• minimize transitions throughout school careers, and
• ensure adequate student enrolment to sustain a French Immersion program.

Through this implementation strategy, Beatrice Strong PS will have an established Kindergarten- Grade 6 dual track program by 2027-2028. Ganaraska Trail PS will be re-established as a Kindergarten-Grade 6 dual track school and Dr. M.S. Hawkins Senior PS will be re-established as a dual track Grade 7-8 school in 2027-2028.

We certainly recognize that some families may be impacted by these changes, specifically with respect to childcare provisions, and we are committed to reviewing these situations on a case-by-case basis.

We believe that this plan will provide a long-term solution to the accommodation pressures we are encountering, address the concerns raised by community and enhance the educational experience of impacted students by providing them with structures and programming to strengthen their learning journey.

We will continue to provide information and support as part of this transition plan, beginning with a meeting next month for impacted families to join us and provide input on how we can best support students through these changes.

Sincerely,

Sonal Gohil
Superintendent of Education

Consultation Meetings

Thank you to everyone for your input and interest as part of our ongoing consultation on the future accommodation plans for the Elementary Family of Schools.

March 28, 2023 Board Meeting - Update for families

Background information, meeting materials, Q and A documents, and feedback forms are posted below.