New Catholic elementary school unlikely for Wilmot, school board chairman says
Manuel da Silva says he understands parents' frustration about potential St. Agatha school closure
Low enrolment at the Catholic elementary school in St. Agatha is a big reason it is being considered for closure, the chair of the school board says.
Manuel da Silva said the school has less than 100 students and there is very little potential for growth. Meanwhile, Holy Rosary in Waterloo has a whole wing that could accommodate those students, which would save the school board money, he said.
"I'm a parent as well," he said in an interview with Craig Norris, the host of CBC Radio's The Morning Edition. "I can fully understand the frustration and the desire to have your school continue to exist. Absolutely."
- School board votes to consider closing St. Agatha Catholic Elementary
- St. Agatha school could be reviewed for closure by Catholic school board yet again
Da Silva was responding to criticisms from parents and Wilmot Township's Mayor Les Armstrong about a decision by the board on Monday to go ahead with a closure review for the school.
It is the third time since 2009 the school has been on the chopping block.
Not enough growth for new school
Armstrong said the population of Wilmot Township is steadily growing and is expected to go from the current 21,000 people to more than 28,000 in 2031.
School board staff "say there's been no growth. Well, in the 10 years from 2001 to 2010, we had growth just in Baden alone of 151 per cent," Armstrong said Tuesday on The Morning Edition.
He noted it's young families moving into the new developments.
But Da Silva said Armstrong was wrong in his interpretations of the staff report recommending a closure review.
"Staff have never said that there is not growth in Wilmot Township," he said, adding calls for a new school in the township are too early.
"We recognize that there will be [growth], just not sufficient at this time to be able to put a business case together to build a new school. We're not going to build a new school with students not being there," he said.
Funding not guaranteed
Former trustee Jan Jagiellowicz said if the school board staff had applied for funding for a new school following the accommodation review committee [ARC] in 2014, the last time St. Agatha was considered for closure, the Ministry of Education would have approved the request.
"If they applied for a new school as they were told to do and told the ministry that this application was the result of an ARC, the ministry would have given them the money," Jagiellowicz said in an email to CBC News. "Instead, school administration applied for capital improvements and were denied funding. They were not supposed to apply for capital funding, but rather new school funding – so they didn't do what they were told by the people to do."
Da Silva said Jagiellowicz was incorrect.
Review begins this fall
Staff have said the low enrolment coupled with much-needed repairs that would cost more than $3.3 million are reasons to consider closing the school.
The closure review is set to begin in October. If the school closes, that would likely happen in June 2017.
Da Silva said parents and the community will be able to have input into the process.
Parent Connie Snofl fought to keep the school open in 2014, and was at the board meeting again Monday night.
But she said she has resigned herself to the fact the school will likely close.
"They've been trying for eight years to close the school and they finally succeeded in doing it," she said. "I told my daughter that she'd probably be going to a new school for Grade 8."