Even if the province agrees, parents, teachers, and students will not see their schools close for 3 to 4 years.
The Anglophone South District Education Council passed a motion at tonight’s meeting to recommend the closure of Hazen White-St. Francis school and Centennial school and a new K-5 school being built to replace them.
DEC chair Rob Fowler says that recommendation will be forwarded to the education minister and any decision is not expected before November.
“We got 7 schools that we are talking about in the overall Saint John project.1750 kids, we’re about 50 percent occupancy in old buildings that require a lot of maintenance,” Fowler says, “that’s the impetus behind all of this that we’re doing.”
One DEC member who voted against the motion wondered if Saint John’s schools should be the priority while Fowler countered saying our schools are in worse shape than other areas including Charlotte county.
The Anglophone South DEC has voted in favour of closing Centennial school and Hazen White-St. Francis school on the condition a new K-5 school will be built to replace them. Two members voted against the motion. A decision rests with the Education minister. pic.twitter.com/gSBB9DmYsA
— Tamara Steele (@tamarasteele1) April 11, 2018
