Burlington Secondary School Program and Accommodation Review (PAR) Implementation

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Please select one of the following options below for more details regarding specific PAR decisions. These include FAQs unique to the area.

The Halton District School is committed to regular and ongoing communication through the implementation of the recommendations of the Burlington PAR. This video provides a brief overview of the collective work ahead of us.

Elementary Classrooms

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What would you like to Know?

Updates

Frequently Asked Questions

My child is currently in grade 8. Which secondary school will they attend in September, 2019?

Grade 9: Entry 2019-2020 School Year

Elementary Feeder School	English Track	French Immersion	Community Pathway Program	Essential	Gifted	Pre IB Gr. 9
Aldershot 7 & 8	Aldershot HS	Aldershot HS	M.M Robinson High School (North of 403/QEW) Robert Bateman High School (South of 403/QEW)	M.M Robinson High School (North of 403/QEW) Robert Bateman High School (South of 403/QEW)	Nelson High School	Burlington Central High School
Alexander's	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS	M.M. Robinson HS
Alton Village	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS	M.M Robinson HS
Brant Hills	M.M. Robinson HS	M.M Robinson HS
Burlington Central, 7 & 8	Burlington Central HS	Burlington Central HS
C.H. Norton	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS	n/a
Charles R. Beaudoin	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS	M.M. Robinson HS
Florence Meares	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS	n/a
Frontenac	Robert Bateman HS	n/a
John T. Tuck	Nelson HS	Nelson HS
John W. Boich	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS	M.M. Robinson HS
Kilbride	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS/Milton District HS	M.M Robinson HS
Orchard Park	Dr. Frank J. Hayden SS	M.M. Robinson HS
Pineland	Nelson HS Robert/ Bateman HS	Nelson HS
Rolling Meadows	M.M. Robinson HS	M.M. Robinson HS
Sir E. MacMillan	M.M. Robinson HS	M.M. Robinson HS
Tecumseh	Burlington Central HS	n/a

What is the role of the Integration Committee?

The Integration Committee will plan for and implement the positive integration of students and staff affected by consolidation, closure or program relocation into their new school environment(s). Transitions from one school to another are most successful when everyone (administrators, parents, staff, students, etc.) has a clear vision (e.g., a smooth transition for students, building and fostering a welcoming and cohesive new school community culture) and is working together to achieve that desired end goal by being open minded and willing to adapt to every aspect of the change.

Who is on each Integration Committee?

As per Board policy, the Integration Committees will consist of the following persons from each affected school:

the Superintendent of the school;
the school Principal;
the Trustee for the school; and
the School Council Chair or designate.

The Committee has the authority to invite additional members (e.g., students, staff, SEAC representation, HDSB Mental Health Lead, etc.).

When will the Integration Committees be formed?

The Integration Committee will be formed the school year prior to student and staff transitions, following School Council elections.

Robert Bateman/Nelson - Integration Committee 2019-2020
Robert Bateman/Burlington Central - Integration Committee 2019-2020
Lester B. Pearson/M.M. Robinson - Integration Committee 2017-2018

(note: this committee met in November, 2018 to reflect on the integration)

How can I become involved in the integration, if I am not the representative for my school?

The Integration Committee members will be charged with engaging their stakeholder groups where consultation may be needed. These opportunities will be regularly communicated with students, staff, parents/guardians and the community.
Integration Committee Meeting Agendas and Minutes will also be posted at the Board website under the respective school consolidation.

Will there be a school closing ceremony for Lester B. Pearson and Robert Bateman High Schools?

Throughout the 2017-2018 school year, the Lester B. Pearson Celebrations Committee worked tirelessly to plan closing celebrations. Their commitment, planning and Patriot passion resulted in two days of amazing celebration.

Thanks to the many hours of planning by the Lester B. Pearson Celebrations Subcommittee who The Lester B. Pearson Closing Celebrations are available via:

What will happen to the artifacts/memorabilia for Lester B. Pearson and Robert Bateman?

Honouring and incorporating artifacts and other memorabilia from both Lester B. Pearson and Robert Bateman will be overseen by potential Subcommittees with input from closing/receiving schools. Some items may be relocated to the new school.

Robert Bateman will remain open until June 2020, with committees forming in the 2019-2020 school year. No decisions have been made at this time for memorabilia at Robert Bateman High School.

The Lester B. Pearson Artifacts and Memorabilia Subcommittee worked throughout the 2017-2018 school year to:

Identify memorabilia to move to M.M. Robinson HS
Develop processes for former students, staff, families and community members to have access to memorabilia

View a 360° Video Tour of Lester B. Pearson High School.

Additionally, one of the paintings from Lester B. Pearson cafeteria is now a focal point of the main foyer at M. M. Robinson. This area also proudly displays the new Lester B. Pearson Theatre, as renaming in honour of the legacy of Lester B. Pearson.

Will timelines be posted for the consolidation processes?

The Integration Committee will report to the Director, and through the Director to the Board of Trustees no later than February of the final year of a school(s) on the progress of integration planning, and again no later than six (6) months after the implementation of the consolidation decision. Specifically, the Integration Committee timelines will be provided in the following reports to Board:

Lester B. Pearson/M.M. Robinson Consolidation - February, 2018 (or earlier)
Aldershot Focus Exploration - February, 2018
Robert Bateman/Nelson - February, 2020
Robert Bateman/Burlington Central - February, 2020

There have been discussions about continued monitoring of this decision. What will be monitored?

There are a number of areas that will require monitoring during and following the implementation of approved recommendations. Those areas include:

Enrolment at Aldershot High School
French Immersion enrolment at Aldershot High School and Burlington Central High School
French Immersion enrolment at M.M. Robinson High School
Sustainability and equity of the Extended French program Enrolment at M.M. Robinson High School
Enrolment at Nelson High School
Enrolment in International Baccalaureate program at Burlington Central High School
Enrolment of International fee-paying students at Burlington Central High School

What happens to teachers and other staff when schools are closed?

The Board will engage in discussions with the different unions impacted and determine the process that will be implemented to ensure alignment with collective agreements and to recognize the emotional impact on those employees impacted. It should be noted that different processes may exist for each employee group.

Furthermore, HDSB is a growing school board due to residential growth in Milton and Oakville, and we do not anticipate requiring fewer permanent staff over the long term.

What will happen to Board property when schools are closed?

In the spirit of keeping public properties in the public realm, all school boards are required to follow the legislative process stated in Ontario Regulation 444/98 Disposition of Surplus Real Property. The Halton District School Board is required to first circulate a proposal to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of real property to a number public agencies, including:

Co-terminus school boards;
Post-secondary institutions;
Municipalities;
Province of Ontario; and,
Government of Canada.

If no public agencies express interest in the property, only then can the Board proceed to selling property to private organizations. The Board of Trustees must approve the initiation of this process.

My child may now have a further distance to travel to school. Will busing be provided?

When students enter high school, the Board’s minimum distance requirements for transportation eligibility changes. Secondary students who live farther than a 3.2 km walking distance from their school are eligible for transportation.

Students attending a secondary school on optional attendance, from cross boundary, or who are non-Halton residents are not eligible for transportation services. Some Board approved programs do not provide transportation to and from the program. Please check with the school offering the program with respect to busing.

For more information, please refer to the HDSB Transportation policy.

Can my child pursue Optional Attendance, given that our school is closing?

Ideally, students will remain at or relocate to new schools based on the decisions/timelines approved in the Burlington Program and Accommodation Review. There will be, however, continued flexibility for special circumstances for exceptional student and family needs moving forward. These situations will be decided on a case-by-case basis and should be discussed with your current school principal as per HDSB's Optional Attendance Administrative Procedure.

There is a specific application form required for Grade 8 to Grade 9 optional attendance. Applicants are expected to discuss the programs offered at the home high school with the principal of that school. Please refer to the Administrative Procedure for application and decision timelines.
The process for application for transfer of students already in high school (i.e., grades 9 – 12) to another school occurs through the home school Principal and the Principal of the requested school. This does not require a formal application process.

How will the transition plan accommodate students currently enrolled in any of the OYAP/SHSM programs that may be shutdown/discontinued prior to graduation/completion?

Students enrolled in SHSM and OYAP commit to a two-year program. Any SHSM, OYAP or Dual Credit program offered for September 2019 will be continued for September 2020. The location of the program would be communicated in the 2019-2020 school year, as per our current timelines around regional program offerings. Proposals to move SHSM programs to a new location are submitted in the winter and confirmed by the Ministry of Education in the spring.

In the rare case that a program does not continue, students who are enrolled in the program will be given an opportunity to complete the program components either back at their home school with support from the school board, or through enrolment in a similar program if a suitable one exists.

Will students enrolled in program that will be shutdown/discontinued before completion, but available elsewhere, be automatically granted optional attendance and transportation?

Students in their second year of a program continuing their SHSM, OYAP or Dual Credit program at a new location will not be required to apply for optional attendance. As with any Pathways Program, students may choose to transfer to a school that offers that program based on the Pathways Program Application Process supported by the Student Services departments of their home and program school. Regional transportation [within Burlington, within Oakville and within the North (Milton, Acton and Georgetown)] is available for all SHSM and OYAP students who transfer schools, based on the transportation eligibility guidelines.

What is an Administrative Review?

According to Ministry Guidelines, an administrative review is a process by which an independent, impartial facilitator reviews that the Board has followed it’s pupil accommodation review policy. An administrative review is not an assessment of the decisions made by the Board of Trustees.

Administrative Reviews of the Burlington Secondary School Program and Accommodation Review (PAR), undertaken by the Halton District School Board during the 2016-2017 school year, have been granted. Requests for these reviews were submitted to the Ministry of Education by the Lester B. Pearson High School and the Robert Bateman High School communities.

An independent third party review of our Program and Accommodation Review Policy and the Burlington PAR ensures that we have followed our processes and provides an opportunity to address community concerns. It is important for the HDSB, the community and the Ministry of Education that the process is thoroughly examined and reviewed.

How did the Board proceed during the Administrative Reviews?

During this review period, the Halton District School Board continued to keep student needs at the forefront. Avia collaboratively planning for and implementation of the Board’s decisions made in June 2017. However, there was a commitment to be cognizant of minimizing the expenditures of the implementation during the review process.

What is the status of the Administrative Review?

The Administrative Review has been completed and it was concluded that the Board followed it’s process. The Board will continue to implement the approved recommendations. The updates section on this webpage provides further information.

Program Implications

With the motions approved, there will be implications for program changes. The information in the dropdown outlines these changes by school year

With the motions approved, …

Effective September, 2018, students entering:

English program (grade 9 - 12) from Lester B. Pearson will attend M.M. Robinson H.S.
French Immersion (grade 9 only) residing north of QEW/403 will attend M.M. Robinson H.S. (Note: students who reside in the Aldershot H.S. catchment will continue to attend French Immersion at Aldershot H.S.)
All students from Tecumseh P.S. will attend Burlington Central High School for grade 9

Effective September, 2019, students entering:

English program (grade 9 only) from Robert Bateman H.S. catchment will attend Nelson H.S.
Accelerated Learning program (grade 9 only) from Burlington will attend Burlington Central H.S. (Note: This grade 9 and 10 program is for students who intend on pursuing the International Baccalaureate program in grades 11 and 12)
Essential program (grade 9 only) will attend M.M. Robinson H.S. (north) or Nelson H.S. (south) ** M.M. Robinson will add grade 10 essential program in 2021-2022; grade 11 workplace program in 2022-2023; grade 12 workplace program in 2023-2024. Students in grade 9 gifted placement at Nelson High school 2019-2020 will be grandfathered at Nelson to the end of grade 12. Students in grade 9 essential program at Robert Bateman H.S. in 2019-2020 will be grandfathered at Nelson to the end of grade 12.
LEAP program (Grade 8) will attend M.M. Robinson H.S. (north) or Nelson (south) **

Effective September, 2020, students entering:

Secondary Gifted Placement (grade 9) will attend will attend M.M. Robinson H.S. (north) or Nelson H.S. (south) ** M.M. Robinson will add grade 10 gifted placement in 2021-2022; grade 11 gifted placement in 2022-2023; grade 12 gifted placement in 2023-2024. Students in grade 9 gifted placement at Nelson High school 2019-2020 will be grandfathered at Nelson to the end of grade 12.

**based on residence north/south of QEW/403

With the closure of Robert Bateman (effective June, 2020), where will these students attend school?

Effective September, 2020, students entering:

English program (grades 11 and 12) will attend Nelson H.S.
International Baccalaureate program (grades 11 and 12) will attend Burlington Central H.S.
Essential/Workplace/Locally Developed program (grades 11 and 12) will attend Nelson H.S.
**Community Pathways Program (grade 9 to graduation) will attend M.M. Robinson H.S. (north) or Nelson H.S. (south) Note: students living north of the QEW from Robert Bateman CPP will have the option to remain with their cohort to the end of their program

**based on residence north/south of QEW/403

For more information, please contact PARimplementation@hdsb.ca

Board Office

Halton District School Board
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Burlington, Ontario, L7P 5A8

Numbers

Phone: 905-335-3663
Fax: 905-335-9802

Links

Email Us

Burlington Secondary School Program and Accommodation Review (PAR) Implementation

The Halton District School is committed to regular and ongoing communication through the implementation of the recommendations​ of the Burlington PAR. This video provides a brief overview of the collective work ahead of us.​

Elementary Classrooms

Grade 9: Entry 2019-2020 ​School Year

​For more information, please contact PARimplementation@hdsb.ca​​​

The Halton District School is committed to regular and ongoing communication through the implementation of the recommendations of the Burlington PAR. This video provides a brief overview of the collective work ahead of us.

Grade 9: Entry 2019-2020 School Year

For more information, please contact PARimplementation@hdsb.ca