The future of two aging schools in Saint John’s north end will be decided in a couple of weeks.
The Anglophone South School District Education Council wants a new school to replace Hazen White-St. Francis and Centennial schools.
They held another meeting Wednesday night at Hazen White-St. Francis so the public could give feedback — but only two people actually did.
It was no surprise to DEC chair Rob Fowler, who tells us he thinks many people are familiar with the process.
“I’ve done a lot of [Policy] 409s over my time with the DEC and this is the first time I think that we’ve run across a situation where people are generally supportive of what we’re trying to accomplish,” says Fowler. “Usually it’s a dragged-out fight … and I’ve seen that right across the district.”
Anglophone South DEC holding the second sustainability study meeting on Hazen White-St. Francis School. It’s a chance for the public to have their say on the school’s future. pic.twitter.com/BxU9FT3EN7
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) March 28, 2018
Both schools are more than 50 years old, have dwindling populations, and need work.
Fowler says one concern he’s heard is where the new school would go, and although that decision would be up to the province, he says they would recommend it be central between the two schools.
And he said merging the two schools into one would not cause any of the student programs to disappear.
“People know the status quo is not an option,” he says, “we just have to make sure that what does happen follows the best plan we can come up, and I hope we’re doing that.”
Chair Rob Fowler says the final meeting will happen on April 11th, when the DEC will decide what will happen with both schools.
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) March 28, 2018
Fowler says this is a great opportunity to improve some of the educational facilities in Saint John and he would love to see the kids get a brand new school.
People can still send in their comments until April 11 — that’s when the DEC will make its final decision at a public meeting and send the recommendation to the education minister, who will have the final say.
