Oct 08, 2008 - 03:34 PM

By Crystal Crimi

DURHAM -- They'll fight for their school.

That was the message resident after resident sent at a public meeting regarding closure and accommodation reviews for central Whitby, especially for Palmerston Avenue Public School.

Parents, students and concerned residents packed Pringle Creek's gymnasium Tuesday night to learn more about the accommodation review committee (ARC) process that could close three schools and alter three others.

Palmerston, Leslie McFarlane, and Florence M. Heard public schools might close because they're too costly to repair. Captain Michael VandenBos, Jack Miner, and Pringle Creek public schools are also included in the Durham District School Board review process for enrolment and program purposes - not for closing.

"We've got to fight this for the plain reason (Leslie) McFarlane is a great school with a great principal," said parent Glendon Hovey.

"This is about our kids, it's not about budget," Mr. Hovey said.

Palmerston parent Gord Burrows doesn't want to see kids bused to another school and put into a portable. Day cares in the area would also lose their income, especially in this economy, if the school closes.

"This ARC process is to reduce portables collectively," said Joe Hircock, the board's Whitby schools superintendent.

The board has more than 400 portables, but is building almost 300 permanent classrooms, said David Visser, facilities services superintendent and secretary of the ARC.

Not much has ever gone into Palmerston in terms of repair, said Art Bellhouse, from the Palmerston community.

"Is that the real reason you're closing Palmerston?" he asked.

Other Palmerston concerns included kids losing the ability to be part of teams, the absence of feeling school ownership, sending kindergarten kids on a bus, and the impact closing the school would have on the community.

Even people with children attending schools not considered for closing had concerns.

VandenBos's student population was already severed once when Williamsburg opened, said Denise Chow, co-chairwoman of its school community council. Now, it will have to go through that again if it loses its French Immersion program through the consolidation process. In the board's business plan, the French Immersion program would go to a new school proposed on the Leslie McFarlane property.

"How many times are our children supposed to go through that?" Ms. Chow asked.

Her daughter lost her best friend the last time the school was fractured, she said.

The ministry of education deems a school too expensive to repair when the cost of work is 65 per cent greater than that of replacement.

Just because a school needs repair doesn't mean the value of its programs are not high, said a parent from F.M. Heard.

Mr. Hircock invited people to fill out value sheets with suggestions on how schools should be evaluated.

The evaluation framework used by the ARC looks at the school's value to students, community, board and the local economy. In the value process, 50 of 100 points are based on value to students.

The ARC's purpose is to get feedback and follow the process in accordance with education ministry guidelines. A final decision won't be made until May 2009. The process includes 14 accommodation review committee and four public meetings.

Trustees will have 60 days between the time the final report is submitted and a decision is made. People can attend and participate in the public meetings and observe the review committee meetings.

"(The process) really says there's nothing set in stone," Mr. Visser said.

The next public meeting is at Jack Miner Public School, 144 Whitburn St., on Nov. 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. The school valuation reports will be presented for community input.

Meeting dates and times are available on the board's website at www.durham.edu.on.ca under school/accommodation.