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News
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Is government planning to close schools in the Eastern
School District? December 8, 2005
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Roland Butler, Opposition Education Critic and MHA for the District of Port
de Grave, is raising concerns related to a consultant’s report compiled for
the Eastern School District and released earlier today that includes
recommendations for the closure and downsizing of many schools on the
Avalon, Burin and Bonavista peninsulas. The report recommends the closure of schools in Heart’s Delight, Whitbourne, Green’s Harbour, the Holyrood area, Harbour Grace, Coley’s Point, Upper Island Cove, Clarenville, Grand Le Pierre, English Harbour East, Petite Forte, Burin Bay Arm and Lamaline. It also recommends the downsizing of schools in Western Bay, Victoria, Little Heart’s Ease, Random Island, Swift Current, Kings Cove, Catalina, Bonavista, and Lawn. In the St. John’s area, neighbourhood schools such as St. Mary’s Elementary, Virginia Park Elementary, St. John Bosco, Macpherson Elementary, I.J. Sampson and Booth Memorial will also be negatively impacted by this plan. "In the House of Assembly earlier today, Minister Joan Burke suggested that some of the recommendations should be scrapped while others could be considered for implementation," said Mr. Butler. "The minister refused to give any further details as to which recommendations she supported. "This consultant’s report raises many concerns related to the future of the school system in the Eastern School District. It is of concern that no significant period of consultation will take place on this report, and the minister seems unwilling to indicate which recommendations will be considered for further discussion. If decisions are to be made in the coming months, it is necessary to outline these plans immediately and commence public consultations. "I call upon Minister Burke to clearly outline her intentions related to this report. If some of these recommendations are going to be pushed forward for further consideration, it is imperative that parents and students are given advance notice that their school may be negatively impacted. It is also necessary to provide parents with an open and accountable consultation process where they will be able to clearly voice their concerns."
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