The Corporate Services Superintendent for the Avon Maitland District School Board says the board didn't recommend any schools for an accommodation review this year. That's in part because they were expecting the Provincial review for rural schools that was announced this week.
Janet Baird Jackson says it's too early to say exactly what the impact on the Avon Maitland Board will be until they get more details but she says they do know the Avon Maitland Board's share of the 20-million dollars directed towards rural schools will be a little over 800-thousand dollars. They don't know if that will be an annual payment and for how long. Baird-Jackson suggests the focus of the Province will be towards more remote schools and the additional travel time they face and small schools that need more support to provide the programs they need.
As far as the funding is concerned Baird-Jackson adds the board would hope that the funding would continue for as long as the schools it supports are expected to stay open.
