Sporting a pin saying “No Boundary Change”, Sandra Aversa made a tearful plea to the Yonge and Davisville accommodation review committee (ARC) not to change the boundaries of Maurice Cody Junior Public School that could result in students being forced to attend another school.
“She used to be so shy,” Aversa told the panel of parents and teachers at the ARC meeting, explaining, when she used to drop her daughter Alessia off at school, she would stand outside crying. Now, she said Alessia has the confidence to take part in show and tell — demonstrated by a picture — because of the support of the Maurice Cody community.
At the third public meeting, held at North Toronto Collegiate Institute Feb. 17, more than 150 concerned parents attended. The meeting heard at least 30 deputations, mostly from Maurice Cody parents, many of whom said they moved to the area and made financial sacrifices so that their children could attend the close-knit school. Parents listed decreased property values, the dangers in having their children cross busy intersections and being torn from friends and community as top concerns.
Fiona Mitra, a Maurice Cody parent, explained that no one goes home at 3:30 p.m. “Parents, caregivers and kids stay to talk, play and maintain and strengthen friendships and social connections." The ARC’s mandate is to make recommendations to the school board on how students’ needs are best served for Maurice Cody Junior Public School, Hodgson Senior Public School, Eglinton Junior Public School and Davisville Junior Public School. It is also a prerequisite for development if more than 50 per cent of a student body will be affected by changes. This ARC in particular is faced with solving the issue of overpopulation.
Rob McCready, an ARC member, said options to maintain balanced enrollment are a grade reconfiguration, for example, making Hodgson Senior Public School start at Grade 6 or shuffling around programs. “The problem is that there are not enough school spaces. Shuffling boundaries and programs and grades is not going to make the students fit in the spaces available. Something has to be built, somewhere,” Mitra told the panel.
It has not been the mandate of ARCs to recommend capital development despite the fact that the TDSB plans to redevelop one of the schools within the ARC. However, at the Feb. 3 TDSB meeting, school trustee Josh Matlow said a motion was put forward to see what capital improvements the ARCs could recommend. “Parents finally have an opportunity to ask for what they want for their kids,” Matlow said.
