Two Elgin County public schools slated for closure will now remain open.
Thames Valley District School Board trustees voted Tuesday night to rescind an earlier decision to close New Sarum public school and Springfield public school. The change of heart is a massive victory for parents who have fought for the past three years to have the two rural elementary schools saved.
New Sarum and Springfield were among five schools trustees voted in May 2017 to shutdown. Both were to close by the spring of 2020.
The decision reversal means the board will now have to revise and resubmit its funding application to the Ontario Ministry of Education to build new schools in Belmont and St. Thomas.
Tuesday's board meeting also saw the announcement of changes to French immersion programming.
Beginning September 2020, entry into the program will be consolidated to Grade 1 – eliminating entry in senior kindergarten and Grade 7.
The changes address the ongoing challenges caused by the continued popularity of French Immersion in the face of a nationwide shortage of qualified French-language teachers, the board said.
Education Director Mark Fisher reassured the changes will not result in job losses.
“These changes are necessary for Thames Valley to meet the needs of our students while using our resources most effectively,” Fisher said in a statement.
The board has no plans to “cap” or limit enrolment into elementary French Immersion programs.
