School Sustainability Review – Lawrence Station Elementary Oct. 2015

SCHOOL SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW and SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS The Anglophone South District Education Council (DEC) will host Public Consultations as per Provincial Policy 409, Multi-Year School Infrastructure Planning, to study the sustainability of Lawrence Station Elementary School. Under Policy 409, the DEC will be holding two public information sessions atLawrence Station Elementary School. The initial meeting will be to deliver the proposal to the public and to allow the DEC and staff to explain the process involved in a Policy 409 review and be available to answer questions about the process. A second meeting at the schoolwill be scheduled in late November to allow the the public an opportunity to ask questions about the proposal, voice their concerns and provide feedback to the review. The first meeting atLawrence Station Elementaryis scheduled forWednesday, October 7 th, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend, and encouraged to do so. Throughout this process, written feedback can be submitted via or you may send a letter to the attention of Robert Fowler, Chair, District Education Council, 490 Woodward Ave., Saint John, N.B., E2K 5N3.

 6.4 Determining a school’s sustainability  A sustainability study will be undertaken if a school falls below one of the triggers as defined in section 3 or if the DEC determines that a study is warranted.  3.0 Definitions  Trigger refers to measurable and objective criteria consistently applied to all schools. When a school meets or falls below the established thresholds, a sustainability study must occur unless there is an exemption to this process.

 The criteria to be used are:  Student enrolment trigger - refers to a specific threshold based on the current enrolment in the school. For the purpose of this policy, the enrolment threshold is 100 students or less.  Percentage occupation trigger - refers to the current student enrolment as compared to the school’s physical capacity. For the purpose of this policy, the percentage occupation threshold is 30 percent or less.

6.4.4 A DEC must consider the following criteria when studying a school’s sustainability. This list does not preclude a DEC from considering other factors relevant to their local circumstances.  1. Low/declining enrolments:  2. Health and Safety:  3. Quality of Education Programs and Services:  4. Transportation:  5. Finances:  6. Impact on the local community:  7. Impact on other schools:  8. Economic development:

6.5.3 The DEC will ensure that affected persons:  are provided with information relevant to the proposal;  have adequate time to consider the information provided; and,  have adequate time and opportunity to make a presentation to the DEC (i.e. let their views be known either in writing or orally) and are heard impartially at an open DEC meeting.

6.5.4 There will be a minimum of three public DEC meetings on the possible closure – one meeting to inform the school community of the DECs’ intention and the steps to be followed, a second meeting to provide the opportunity to make a presentation (in writing or orally) and a final meeting to provide the public with the results of the consultation, including an account of the factors considered, as per section 6.4 of this policy, and resulting recommendation being submitted to the Minister.

6.6.1 A DEC will inform the Minister in writing of a recommendation to close a school, following the public consultation process. The DEC must demonstrate how the requirements of this policy have been applied The Minister shall normally respond to a recommendation to close a school within a period of time no less than 30 days and not exceeding 60 days.

 Quick Facts: ◦ ASD-S runs from Sussex Corner to Campobello Island Three Education Centres: ◦ St. Stephen Ed. Centre (SSEC) – 15 schools ◦ Saint John Ed. Centre (SJEC) – 32 schools ◦ Hampton Ed. Centre (HEC) – 25 schools ◦ $214 million budget, 3400 permanent employees ◦ Major challenges:  Fiscal reality  Aging infrastructure 45–55 avg. yrs. of age depending on Centre  Declining enrolment

Max. Capacity

Max. Capacity

Enrolment by Year by Grade for Lawrence Station Elementary Actual 2009 – 2015 Forecast 2016 – 2021 Grade Level Sept 30K12345Total Actual: Forecast: ) Used average K enrolment over last 7 years for K projections. 2) Moved all grade levels ahead by one year, +/- the average gain/loss from grade transition over the last 6 yrs..

 K-5 Elementary school built in 1946  Max capacity for Lawrence Station is 97 students  37 students enrolled as of Sept (unofficial)  Lawrence Station is at 38% capacity as of Sept  Enrolment has declined by 56% since 2000 (47 students)  For Early French Immersion, students go to St. Stephen Elementary  Lawrence Station students proceed to St. Stephen for Middle & High  Lawrence Station does not have a gym (are using a classroom space)  Lawrence Station has a newer playground and sufficient green space  Lawrence Station has sufficient parking and a new bus drop off lane  Lawrence Station is not wheelchair accessible but has the use of a stair climber

STAFFING: DescriptionFTE’s (Full Time Equivalents)  Teacher FTE’s 4.30*  Clerical Staff ( month).855  Custodial (32.5 hrs. week).812  School Library Worker (5.25 hrs. week).145 Total * includes Administration

Project Cost  Washrooms Upgrade (fixtures, vanities, stalls, floors, etc.) $ 65,000  Exterior Drainage & Foundation (blue skin install, etc.) 100,000  Classroom Renovations (lighting, shelves, painting, etc.) 125,000 Total $290,000 Note: Last Capital Project at Lawrence Station was in 2007.

Light, power and heat $15,749 Minor repairs 20,540 Snow plowing 11,715 Garbage removal 3,042 Cleaning supplies 553 Sub-total $51,599 School Instructional Budget 9,864 School Salaries & Benefits 446,000 Total Yearly Operating Costs $507,463

 Active Home and School Association  Kids Night Out: 2 – 3 times per year  Halloween Haunted House, Kid’s Carnival in spring  Student led activity clubs during recess, including sports and crafts

 Family Resource Centre offers 3 programs at the school: ◦ Playgroup: 0 – 6 years (6 families this yr.) ◦ ABC of Being Three: 6 week program for 3 yr. olds ◦ Get Ready for School Program: 10 week program for 4-5 yr. olds  Partnerships with local businesses/clubs such as: ◦ Hemlock Knoll Sanitary Landsite (worm composting) ◦ DeWofle Women’s Institute (prizes, breakfast/lunch) ◦ Rollingdam/Leverville Women’s Institute (prizes, breakfast/lunch) ◦ Orange Benevolent Lodge (prizes, breakfast/lunch) ◦ IODE – Heritage Chapter (breakfast/lunch) ◦ Unity Chapter #35, OES (breakfast/lunch) ◦ Pleasant Ridge Ladies Bible Study Group (breakfast/lunch) ◦ Masons – Sussex Lodge (bikes for books)

 Community Computer Access Centre – used mostly in daytime by community – avg. once every 2 weeks  School Library is used by the community – more often after reporting periods  School playground is used by the community

 Hemlock Knoll Sanitary Landsite – Lawrence Station ◦ Have partnership with the school for worm composting  Rose Enterprises Inc. (wreath making) – Lawrence Station ◦ Many parents who have children at the school would work here, seasonal work  Lawrence Station Then and Now (collectibles, antiques) – Lawrence Station

 St. Stephen Elementary is 34 kms. away from Lawrence Station Elementary  St. Stephen is a K-5 Elementary built in 1969  $4 million expansion in 2006 including new gym  Max capacity for St. Stephen Elementary is 653 students  414 students enrolled as of Sept  St. Stephen has all facilities on one level, is fully accessible, including stage chair lift & special needs bathroom  St. Stephen has full sized gym  St. Stephen has full contracted cafeteria services  St. Stephen has full playground facilities

 St. Stephen has two full size fields, sufficient parking and a parent drop off lane  St. Stephen has Early French Immersion (EFI) .8 FTE Literacy Support at grades K-2  Breakfast program and backpack program .90 FTE Community School Coordinator – community volunteers contribute as guest speakers, mentors, leading clubs/activities at noon  1.0 FTE Phys. Ed., Music Specialists,.80 FTE Guidance, Librarian 3 days per week

Forecast – St. Stephen Elementary with the addition of Lawrence Station Students Forecast 2016 Grade Level K12345Total Eng # of classrooms EFI # of classrooms Note: One additional class will be required for SSES in 2016.

 Breakfast & backpack program to assist with food  Community school with lots of community support  Drama/Music Production each year  Community Schools Coordinator  Skating Program during November-March  After school literacy tutors – grade 1 & 2 students  Kiwanis K-Kids Club  Many Student Led Clubs: i.e. Dance, Sing, Minecraft, Computer, Art, French, Comic, Floor Hockey, Music, etc.  Many School Sponsored Clubs: i.e. Square Dance, Chess, Buzz TV, Yoga, Gardening, Soccer, Woodworking, Lego Robotics, Buzz Newspaper, Cheerleading Club, etc.

Project Cost  Washroom Upgrade (fixtures, etc.) $200,000  Roof Replacement – 7911 Sq. Ft. 95,000  Roof Replacement – 15,486 Sq. Ft. 217,000 Total $512,000

Project Cost  Gym Soundproofing $ 58,887  Heating System 365,000  Beam Reinforcement 22,550  Lighting Upgrade 295,455 Total $741,892

 Lawrence Station – only three walkers so majority of students are served by the current two busses  Busses from St. Stephen area are already in place to serve Lawrence Station for Middle, High or EFI  Avg. increase travel distance to St. Stephen kms.  Avg. increase in time spent on bus will be 24 min.  Avg. trip time for majority of students will be 44 min.  Min. trip time should be around 30 minutes  Max. trip time should be around 1 hour 6 minutes  5 students will be at an hour or over in trip time  Both busses will remain in service to reduce trip times where possible

 Low/declining enrolment: ◦ Max capacity for Lawrence Station is 97 students, 37 enrolled as of Sept ◦ At 38% capacity Sept & enrolment has declined 56% since 2000  Quality of Education Programs: SSES as a larger school with a larger population can offer more programing & services such as: ◦ Early French Immersion ◦ Full size gym with a fulltime Phys. Ed. Teacher ◦.80 FTE guidance teacher ◦ After school literacy tutors &.80 Literacy support ◦ SSES is fully accessible with everything located on one level ◦ Full service cafeteria  Finances: ◦ Approximately $420,000 of the total operating expenses could be saved each year ◦ Future capital repair costs of $290,000 would be eliminated ◦ All school equipment including technology & furniture would be put to use in other schools – this would save in equip./furniture replacement ◦ More efficient use limited resources - i.e. Facilities will have fewer schools to cover ◦

 Next meeting – November 24 th, 7:00 PM.  This presentation will be posted to ASD-S website at: Written feedback can be submitted:  via to  0r send a letter to the attention of: Robert Fowler, Chair District Education Council 490 Woodward Avenue Saint John, NB E2K 5N3