The South Shore Regional School Board has voted to send grade 10-12 students at Bridgewater Junior Senior High School to Park View Education Centre.
Board members voted 5-3 in favour of the motion.
School board members Pat Garrison, Elliot Payzant, Jennifer Naugler, Tina Hennigar and Theresa Griffin voted in favour.
Board members Cheryl Fougere, Vernon Simms and Elizabeth Crossland were against the move.
Board vice-chair Cheryl Fougere acknowledging process has been very challenging, feels process has been rushed pic.twitter.com/6DXIeInXzi
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Chair Jennifer Naugler called it an emotional and challenging decision.
But, she says the students will still get a quality education.
“That was the goal of the board is considering all of their needs certainly related to programming. Change is hard for everyone and this one will certainly take a little time.”
A transition plan for the Bridgewater and Park View families of schools will begin immediately and include school staff, students and regional support staff.
Other recommendations also approved include a review of catchment areas to improve transportation times, evaluate facility utilization and operational costs and review grade configurations at Bridgewater Elementary School and Bridgewater Junior Senior High School.
The board also approved a motion to have the grade 10-12 students from Bridgewater to start attending Park View in September 2017, as long as interior renovations are complete.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Bridgewater is extremely disappointed.
David Walker says a number of stakeholders had no say in the process and believes the board should have taken more time to answer questions.
Walker bluntly says students at Bridgewater Junior Senior High and residents should be thanked.
“Because we’ve just solved a problem that Park View Education Centre and the county has. It’s their problem they have declining enrolment and their solution to solving that problem is to take the high school students from a school that’s been very, very successful and move them.”
Walker believes the board didn’t properly consider all options and rushed to make a decision.
He feels the board should have asked the minister of education for an extension.
Elsewhere, the decision sparked feedback from people on our Facebook pages.
