Ontario Launches Governance Review After Students Start School Online

The Ontario government has initiated a governance review of the Near North District School Board following a crisis that left high school students in Parry Sound beginning their academic year online. This decision was announced in a letter from Minister of Education Paul Calandra on August 25, 2023, addressing growing concerns from parents and local officials about the lack of school facilities for students.

The review will investigate the circumstances surrounding the partial demolition of the community’s former high school and the delays in the construction of a new kindergarten to Grade 12 school. Parents and students expressed their frustration when they discovered, just a week before the start of the school year, that all high school students would be required to start school remotely due to the unavailability of physical classroom space.

In his letter, Calandra emphasized the seriousness of the situation, noting that the board’s trustees had requested the investigation themselves. “I am launching a full governance review of the Near North District School Board. This review will begin immediately, and I have asked for a report back in 30 days,” he stated.

The board’s plan for the new school year had involved relocating students in kindergarten to Grade 6 to McDougall Public School and sending all Grade 7 and 8 students to the previously closed Nobel Public School. However, high school students were left without a physical school to attend, as the former Parry Sound High School was undergoing renovations. The board indicated that it aimed to transition students into the old high school, which had been partially demolished.

During a visit in April, Calandra urged school board officials to keep parents informed about construction delays. He was assured that the new facility would be completed in early September and ready for occupancy shortly after. However, as delays became evident, he requested a plan to accommodate students, which the board provided shortly thereafter.

“I was not willing to support any action on the site that could put students and educators at risk, including demolition or environmental abatement,” Calandra wrote. He reiterated that student safety was a priority and that he could not approve the demolition of the old high school while students were still in the new facility.

Local officials, including Parry Sound’s Mayor Jamie McGarvey, are collaborating with the school board and construction companies to explore the possibility of using the old high school temporarily. “There was asbestos abatement being done, there was demolition being done, so we need to ensure that the building is safe,” McGarvey said, indicating the complexity of the situation.

As students await a resolution, Calandra expressed his disappointment and frustration with the situation. “I want students back in classrooms as soon as possible,” he wrote, underscoring his commitment to resolving the issues swiftly. He instructed the board to keep him informed of all communications with the town, emphasizing the importance of transparency as the situation develops.

The governance review aims to address the shortcomings that have led to this challenging start to the school year for Parry Sound students, ensuring that their educational needs are met without further disruption. The outcome of this review will be closely monitored by parents, educators, and local officials as they seek to understand the failures that resulted in this unprecedented situation.