At the first public meeting of the Accomodation Review of the Owen Sound and area group of schools, the Bluewater School Board's Initial Staff Report was presented - proposing to close Derby, Dufferin and Bayview Elementary Schools, distribute Kindergarten to Grade 6 students among the remaining area elementary schools, and to bring grade 7 and 8 students into the two Owen Sound High Schools.  An alternative proposal was offered to the Accommodation Review Committee, and here is the full text of that deputation.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

My name is John Beisel and I am speaking to you this evening on behalf of the staff of West Hill Secondary School. We appreciate that you wish to serve the best interests of the students and the School Board in your Accommodation Review Committee decisions. The current proposal is to accommodate thedeclining enrolment and outdated facilities in the Owen Sound area by closing three elementary schools, accommodating those students into existing, suitable facilities and expanding our two local high schools to grades 7 to 12.

The West Hill staff has examined this proposal in great detail and we feel that another alternative should be strongly considered. We would like to suggest a proposal which not only optimizes school resources, staff and finances, but also provides an enhanced and diverse educational opportunity for Owen Sound and area students. We would like to propose the following for the Accommodation Review Committee to consider for September of 2016:

1.Grades 9-12 would attend West Hill Secondary School.
2.Grades 6-8 would attend the OSCVI
3.Grades JK-5 would attend Sydenham, Alexandra, Keppel-Sarawak and Hillcrest schools

The continuum of elementary and secondary students in Owen Sound and area would greatly benefit from the amalgamation of the two Owen Sound high schools into a single school. This would provide an extensive and diverse set of programs, which would utilize the co-operative expertise of staff. These changes will enable the Board to save the same number of spaces as the existing proposal, and would maximize existing school space, resources and programs.

At the same time, the junior students moved from the closing elementary schools will have the opportunity to benefit from the excellent facilities at OSCVI. Grade 6-8 students will be thrilled to utilize the facilities and resources of this fine building. Enhanced programming at the junior school level, with the use of the OSCVI facilities will assist in the difficult transition of closing three area elementary schools. Students will have the benefit of a school environment that is safe, and geared to their own age group and development, in order to better prepare them for secondary school.

We are confident this strategic decision will solidify and bolster enrolment at Bluewater schools. When West Hill staff were surveyed, they overwhelmingly indicated that the best solution to the existing problems would be the joining of the two secondary schools into one strong, unified institution. The Bluewater District School Board has a wonderful opportunity to do something not just good, but great for our K-12 students.

An amalgamation of the high schools at the current West Hill location would provide many benefits:

1.More choices in compulsory and elective course offerings for students.
2.Enhanced timetable options for students with multiple course sections being offered in both semesters.
3.Sufficient use of resources and existing space with a large library, two music rooms, four gymnasiums, eight well-equipped technology rooms, a large cafeteria and existing food services program, tennis courts, soccer pitch, irrigated football field, and an extra-large track and field facility existing on the property.
4.Great technology program already established at West Hill and two Specialist High Skills Majors programs, and room for additional technology programs.
5.Lower cost solutions by merging at the larger location of west Hill than by adding extensive and expensive additions and renovations to the OSCVI.
6.A well-established and well-integrated Developmental Learning program.
7.A flourishing French Immersion program.
8.Extensive and varied extracurricular and sports teams, as well as simplified transportation for those teams.
9.Streamlined Co-op program for students and employers with more flexible timetabling.

We have an exiting opportunity here to do something which serves our students and our School Board now, and in the future. Staff and students will always make the best of the situation as necessary; but with the changes that West Hill is proposing, we have the potential to have a fantastic 6, 7 and 8 junior school, and one awesome Owen Sound secondary school.

We would invite you to visit with us at West Hill to see the opportunities that are already being provided for students and consider how the joining of the two high schools on the West Hill site will greatly benefit the needs of students and the Bluewater District School Board.