High School Accomodation Review Committee

Jessica Brennan, local trustee on the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, spoke of the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC). The committee's task is to provide recommendations to the board that will give students the best learning environments for the 21st century. The committee considers facilities, program and transportation in its fact finding and deliberation.

Trustee Brennan spoke more specifically about the West ARC which encompasses Ancaster, Highland, Parkside and Westdale High Schools. She indicated that the committee is about a third of the way through the process and intends to have a report ready for the board in January 2012 so that the board can make a decision by the end of the school year.

A staff report supported the closure of Parkside with the students being dispersed to Highland, Westdale and Ancaster. The committee is leaning towards the closure of both Highland and Parkside and the construction of a new school somewhere in town.

She suggested that the Rotary club might want to offer its suggestions to the committee. Meetings are Sept 20 and Oct. 11. Call Trustee Brennan at 905 628 2714 if individual members want to give their opinion.