MEDIA RELEASE

Near North District School Board Receives Approval for Capital Funding Requests

February 1, 2018 –  The Near North District School Board is very excited to announce that the Government of Ontario has approved very significant capital funding requests, both of which are a result of student accommodation review processes.

Capital funding has been committed to build a new elementary school on the W.J. Fricker Public School site at 790 Norman Avenue in North Bay to accommodate Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 students from E.T. Carmichael and E.W. Norman public schools, along with Extended French Grade 5 and 6 students from W.J. Fricker Public School.  The construction of integrated child care facilities has also been approved with 1 Infant, 1 Toddler, 2 Pre-School rooms as well as the construction of a new EarlyON Child and Family Centre.  Working in partnership with the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) and third-party licensee, YMCA Northeastern Ontario, children and families can expect a seamless approach to quality childcare and school programs in one facility, which is anticipated to open in September of 2020.

“The District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board is very pleased to support this project, bringing much needed quality early years and childcare services into the education system,” said DNSSAB chair Mark King. “This is an excellent example of considering what’s effective and convenient for children and families in the Nipissing District.”

W.J. Fricker Public School will close at the end of the 2018-2019 school year.  In September 2019, Grade 5 and 6 students from W.J. Fricker will be accommodated at E.W. Norman while the new school is being constructed and the Grade 7 and 8 students from W.J. Fricker will attend the Chippewa site.

As previously announced, child care facilities (one Infant room, one Toddler room and one Pre-School room) will be included in the design of the new Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 school at 111 Isabella Street in Parry Sound.  Working with the Parry Sound District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) to further enhance services for families, capital funding has been committed by the Government of Ontario to build a new EarlyON Child and Family Centre at the new school.  The Board hopes to be able to tender for architectural services this Spring.

“The Board of Trustees are pleased to see another reinvestment of tax dollars supporting our long-term Capital Plan that modernizes local education in the City of North Bay and the Town of Parry Sound,” said school board chair David Thompson.

The Board graciously acknowledges the financial investment the Government of Ontario has committed to these projects.

The Near North District School Board remains committed to: ensuring that students are accommodated in facilities that are safe and healthy; promoting optimal learning environments; and, offering optimal programming options.

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For further information, please contact:

Carrie Girard, Information Officer

Carrie.Girard@nearnorthschools.ca

(705) 472-8170, extension 5010

 

 

 

MEDIA RELEASE

2018 Program Transitions Announced in Preparation of North Bay High School Consolidation 

 January 29, 2018 – The systemic capital planning implications of the September 2019 consolidation of three North Bay secondary schools (Chippewa, West Ferris and Widdifield) into two schools with the rebranding of the West Ferris (South) and Chippewa (North) sites require that some program transitions take place for the upcoming school year.

To relieve current accommodation pressures at Chippewa and in order to prepare instructional space required for the 2019 transition, the following programs will transition in September 2018:

• Current Grade 6 Sunset Park French Immersion students
• Current Grade 6 W.J. Fricker Extended French students
• Current 7-11 Chippewa Extended French students
• Current 7-11 Chippewa French Immersion students (zoned for Sunset Park).

Future opportunities will be provided for parents who were unable to attend the information session tonight.

As previously announced, the following programs will be fully implemented in September of 2019:

 

South Site (currently West Ferris): ·         Arts Nipissing Program / S.T.E.A.M. Program (Grades 9-12), ·         French Immersion Program (Grades 7-12 zoned for Sunset Park), ·         Extended French Program (All North Bay area Grades 7-12), and ·         English Program (Grades 7-12 zoned for West Ferris).

North Site (currently Chippewa): ·         International Baccalaureate Program (Grades 9-12), ·         French Immersion Program (Grades 7-12 zoned for Alliance), ·         English Program (Grades 7-12 zoned for Widdifield and Chippewa), and ·         W.J. Fricker English Program (Grades 7-8).

*Widdifield Secondary School will close in September 2019.

The Near North District School Board values comprehensive and supportive communication to our valued students and families.  As such, parents of students who are imminently affected were invited to attend an information session at West Ferris tonight to hear first-hand from board and school staff about the 2018 transition, to learn more about ongoing transition planning and to ask related questions.

The Board is highly committed to ensuring that transitions and school environments are supportive of optimal learning conditions for all students.

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For more information, please contact:

Carrie Girard, Information Officer

705-472-8170, extension 5010

Carrie.Girard@nearnorthschools.ca