In The News

Closing city school 'stupid' idea, meeting hears NIGEL ARMSTRONG  The Guardian Many words, sentences and documents were used by Parkdale School supporters Tuesday at a public meeting in Charlottetown but one presenter was blunt in summing up his view. Lawrence McKnight said that closing Parkdale and busing the children to Prince Street School “would be stupid, to be quite blunt.” He was speaking at the third of six planned public consultations by the Eastern School District in response to a report recommending the closure of 11 schools now and possibly two more in the near future. Two of the closures are in the Colonel Gray family of schools and it was at Colonel Gray that close to 300 people packed into the meeting Tuesday night. They were told 17 people or groups wanted to make a public presentation but if time ran out, arrangements will be considered to hear them at later meetings. It was Parkdale that received the greatest attention. Parkdale staff showed up dressed like a team in identical blue athletic wear. Parents draped green fabric over the backs of all the chairs on which they also placed a green sheet of paper outlining the Save- Parkdale campaign. It is the green space around Parkdale school that is one key focus of the support group. Parkdale has plenty of space to build an addition to the school and still have safe play space outside, which cannot be said for the destination of Prince Street, said many supporters. Lisa MacLaren, vice-president of the Parkdale Home and School group emphasized safety at the meeting.  She said the space around Parkdale allowed for much better control and safety of students in the event of a fire or school evacuation. She also spoke about safe and secure bus loading in the paved parking lot on the grounds of Parkdale whereas Prince Street loads and unloads from a street. Other presenters railed against the push to close schools before the district undertakes a rezoning in 2010 and before the effect of kindergarten integration takes place, also proposed for 2010. Samantha Watts was at the meeting in support of Grand Tracadie School which is also slated to close. She asked who told Sandy MacDonald, superintendent of education for the district, to write the school closure report. “A letter came from the minister of Education to the chair of the board,” said MacDonald.  The letter asked for a school closure report by Dec. 30 and the board gave the job to MacDonald. “So the minister of Education, who wanted this report, is not coming to these meetings?” said Watts, to loud applause. Lori MacKay spoke in support of Parkdale, saying  the present zoning has “buses zigzagging all over the city,” to cope with outdated zoning issues. She demanded the school closure project stop until rezoning can take place. “Slow this process down, and only you can do that,” she said, speaking directly to the school trustees. “Government will accept whatever decision you make. “Why the rush? Put kindergarten in place in 2010. Rezone in 2010, then look at your options.” The next public meeting on the school closure issue is scheduled for Montague High School on March 3.