While some fear for the future of Davisville Public School, recommendations made by a school committee indicate the school will remain open for years.
“Anyone who looks at the data can see that we don’t have a declining student enrollment, we have an overcapacity challenge,” said Josh Matlow, local school trustee. “The reality is that the school will never be closed.”
Davisville Public School is one of four school locations in the area subject to a lengthy evaluation by an accommodation review committee (ARC). The recommendations for Davisville school have called for the school to stay open.
According to Rob McCready, a father of two Davisville students who has participated in the review process, the committee looked at all options, but closing the school did not make sense. A growing French immersion program is continuing to attract more students to the school, and the number of students attending the English program has also increased. At Eglinton Public School, Hodgson Public School and Maurice Cody Public School, student attendance follows the same trend.
Recommendations also included keeping the Deaf Hard of Hearing program at Davisville and transferring over the Spectrum Alternative School (currently housed at Eglinton Public School).
“This is a case of what makes the best sense educationally and financially,” said McCready.
On May 18, Davisville Public School staff had the chance to vote on the recommendations, and the vote was unanimously in favour. However, at a meeting on May 31, school trustees held a vote and the result was a three to three tie.
“There are claims that the staff didn’t give enough information,” said McCready.
Matlow said he spoke with those colleagues recently and is confident about the final vote taking place June 23.
Others are not as confident.
Chris Sellors, former executive assistant to Coun. Michael Walker, said he has followed the review process and that the trustee vote carries heavy implications regarding the future and value of the Davisville land. Following the final vote on the school, the Toronto District School Board will conduct a redevelopment study that will consider selling off school land.
Matlow said, even if the school does come to that point, a memorandum of understanding would have to be signed by the local residential community before any deals move forward.
