May 20, 2008, Parent Information Night

Niagara-on-the-Lake elementary parents and concerned residents met to discuss the proposed Education Centre concept endorsed by the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Friends of Niagara District Secondary School.

Part of the evening included a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) analysis of the proposed new Education Centre. This document summarizes all of the written ideas submitted by the working groups that evening.

As part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring our community is fully engaged in the development of this concept, the ideas mentioned within this document will be considered in the future refinement of the Education Centre concept that is championed by many within our community.

• Community pride

• Community based education for elementary and secondary students

• Combined site is central and midway to Virgil and Old Town

• Pathway/trail provides opportunity to walk or bike to education centre

• Less buses on the road, gives more time for students to be involved in

extra activities

• Students will stay connected with the community and take advantage of

opportunities such as work, sports, etc.

• Students will be more active due to large site, additional green space

• New building

• Parking and bussing

• Lots of green space, playing fields

• Shared facilities . science labs

• Potential retention of students

• Will build a more tightly knit community (spirit) . young and old

• Synergies with all buildings together . i.e. one large school library

• Future expansion . sports, swimming

• Reduce emissions from bussing

• Right-sized schools

• New facilities . state of the art

• Size of property . lots of room

• Specialized teachers and courses

• More .extra. activities due to more adults

• Older students helping younger students

• Retention rates 90 . 100% - elementary to high school

• Creation of positive attitudes for enrolment at time of decision

• World class facility

• Community unity

• Increases chance of keeping high school

• Mentoring concept between students

• Shares facility, better use of resources . teachers and buildings

• Attractive idea . will get more students, will be a positive example for

other concept campus ideas

• Better maintained facilities

• Built green . good for environment

• More comfortable transition to high school

• People wanting to go into education field can have opportunity to go

into a co-op program, working with younger children on site

• Short bus rides

• Positive mentors, role leaders

• Co-use of facilities

• Monies from sale of Virgil and Butler sites

• One property tax instead of three

• In the boundaries of Virgil and Butler students

• Keeping high school

• Mentoring program

• Maintenance

• Extra-curricular activities

• Community pride and spirit

• Less intimidation

• Neutral location

• Our kids will stay . i.e. Jobs, sports, volunteering

• Safe drop off for kids

• After school programs will not require special bussing or parental pick up

• Community centre . rental income

• Negative exposure to bad habits

• High traffic area

• Marketing needs to increase

• Creating a new high school while the children are still attending NDSS

• Limited interaction

• Construction

• Limited interaction between elementary and secondary due to position

of community centre

• Funding and timelines to build the school building

• Enrolment issues

• Travel time on bus

• What to do with high school students while it is built

• Present funding policies for number of students used by the board

• Elementary school located away from the community

• 100% bussing

• No swimming pool heated by solar or wind

• Trying to please everyone is as difficult as hearding cats

• Unlock new ideas to recapture future kids for NDSS

• Education centre adoption will bring town involvement and investment

• i.e. community centre, day care and swimming pool

• Build all green complexes

• Including a community centre . sharing facilities

• Large auditorium

• Partnerships with businesses and co-ops, community members,

community groups (Rotary, Kinsman)

• Association with Niagara College, Brock, Willowbank, Shaw

• Students can walk once pathway is built

• Day care providers

• Mentoring

• Facility for .cradle to grave. - from day care to seniors

• Sharing of program between elementary and secondary

• More community involvement

• Attract students

• Attract new families to Niagara on the Lake

• Eco friendly, green school design

• Savings on resources for specialty programs . i.e. French immersion

• High school credits for mentoring younger students

• Students can do their community service in their own community

• New efficient facilities

• Shared facilities

• More students = more courses and programs (religion)

• More students = more sports teams and opportunities

• Tutoring and mentoring from older students, senior student role model

• More staff will give more opportunity for extra curricular activities

• School sports

• Recruiting

• Recapture

• Day care to Seniors

• Computer sharing

• School sports on site

• Many sports/activities going on at once

• Day care

• Community centre

• Mentoring from older kids

• Community growth

• More locations on NDSS property so no disruption to students

• Child day care

• Recruit students back from other schools . St. Michaels

• Once school is built, what will happen to empty school

• Free bussing for non-academic reasons

• Free bussing

• Empty schools

• Interaction

• Distraction during construction

• Slight interaction of high school with elementary students

• If this is not approved, we have a community with no kids

• Affects businesses, loss of after school and summer employment

• Counter productive . i.e. Values of Canada . we embrace immigrants,

but we are sending our children away

• Inappropriate interaction between age groups

• School closure ongoing

• Decreased enrolment

• Future of the elementary schools

• Too expensive, cost factor

• Continuing to provide courtesy bussing of students away from NOTL

• Staff report . DSBN

• No threats

• Forgetting to work with the school board