High School Update
THE BEACON – MARCH, 2006
I noted last year that the Halifax Regional School Board had recognized a high school for “Woodside-Eastern Passage” as its third priority for new school construction projects. I wanted to update the community on the status of this project.
The process by which the government selects school construction projects is like a dialogue with the school boards. The Department of Education asks the school boards to produce a list of new construction projects and a separate list for alterations. Once the list is received from the school board the Department of Education may ask for more information or may come back with an alternative list. The school board can then agree with the list or make changes based on the opinions of the Department. The final word rests with the Provincial Government.
In December, 2004 the Department of Education requested from the Halifax Regional School Board a new priority list for new construction projects. The school board presented a list in January, 2005 that had as third on the list a new high school for “Woodside-Eastern Passage” by 2009.
That proposal was acceptable to me. I have always argued that with the new housing development in the Russell Lake area that there is sufficient current and future population to warrant a fifth high school in the Dartmouth area and that high school should be located in Eastern Passage. The high school could have as its feeder schools the Eastern Passage Education Centre and the new Prince Arthur Junior High School.
The Department of Education reviewed the priority list and told the Halifax Regional School Board that the high school proposal required more information. In September, 2005 the Halifax Regional School Board presented a more detailed explanation of how such a school would fit in to the broader Dartmouth area school system.
The new proposal is very different from the original proposal.
The Halifax Regional School Board is now recommending a Colby Village-Eastern Passage high school by 2011 (two years later then originally proposed). Cole Harbour District High School will become a junior high school servicing the students of Forest Hills, Lawrencetown and Bel Ayr. This would mean the closure of Sir Robert Borden Junior High School, Eric Graves Junior High School and Ross Road Junior High School.
Astral Drive Junior High School and Eastern Passage Education Centre students would attend a new high school for the area.
The proposal is now with the Minister of Education and the Minister will make recommendations to the Provincial Cabinet in May or June of 2006 on which proposals to accept.
I am concerned that the project has been delayed a further two years and that it now involves our community having to lobby for the high school to be located in our community against possible alternatives sites in Cole Harbour.
(Those that recall the debate over the location of Auburn Drive High School in the early 1990s will recall that Auburn Drive High School was originally to be located on Caldwell Road in Cole Harbour to service students in Colby Village and Eastern Passage, but the school was eventually located one kilometre from the other high school in Cole Harbour.)
Let me be clear, an NDP Government would have a high school in Eastern Passage as soon as possible, with 2009 as a reasonable goal. I still think with the housing development in our community and the Russell Lake area that there is an argument for a fifth high school in the Dartmouth area. Barring that alternative, I think an “Eastern Passage-Woodside” high school is the best alternative.
Having stated the position of my Party if we win the next election, I support any proposal that gets us closer to a high school in Eastern Passage. But if the Tories agree to the school board proposal our community will have more work to do with regard to a high school.
Stay tuned. I will keep you up-to-date.
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