I have been walking the streets of zone 9, in the Glebe, in Old Ottawa East, and Sandy Hill, ringing on bells, and meeting people at the door. You get a very different view of the neighbourhoods when you walk than you do when driving through. I have been very impressed with the care people take of their yards and homes, and have had an amicable reception everywhere I went. We are truly blessed to be living in the heart of this wonderful city. I even discovered a few old colleagues that I didn't know lived so close to me!
A key issue identified is overcrowding in a number of schools. This has resulted from some combination of growing enrolment, movement of programs (for example, starting Early French Immersion at Viscount Alexander P.S.), capping the size of classes so that more classes are formed, and doubling space needs for kindergarten as the program expands from half day to full day. This is not an issue that schools can solve in isolation -- schools need to talk to each other, since a solution at one school will almost certainly impact neighbouring schools. I support and will be actively involved in this collaborative approach. The first priority in an school review has to be the needs of the children.
Another issue is concern about specialized classes moving or disappearing. I am a strong supporter of safe, high quality, community schools that can meet the needs of most of the children in their neighbourhood. But there are some students whose needs, abilities or talents are so exceptional that they cannot fully benefit at their local school, and for these students we must continue to provide special classes and schools. This includes gifted classes for identified exceptional students and alternative schools that innovate student-centred practices.
It has been pointed out to me that the school board has focussed considerable capital expenditure outside of the Greenbelt, and this has been necessary to provide schools for the growing student population in the suburbs. But students in the heart of Ottawa are equally deserving of quality accommodation and resources and I will work on your behalf to ensure that renovations and upgrades are done where they are needed.
I have been a strong advocate for environmental improvements through programs in schools such as Earthcare and through school district operational changes resulting in major energy savings. I support initiatives such as placing solar panels on the roofs of schools.
Several people have commented on the importance of music and art in people's lives and the waning of these in the curriculum. This must be reversed. Others have pointed out that the board seems to paying greater attention to French Immersion classes than to English classes. Both must have equal quality of instruction and learning resources. Several people have pointed out that school buildings are empty for substantial periods of time. I support the practice of schools serving as community hubs through partnerships with community groups and social agencies. Another initiative that a willing community might be interested in exploring is a modified school year calendar, in which the school is opened in August and the August holidays placed strategically at other times of the school year, such as an extended Christmas or March break.
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