In a follow-up report to the recent public input meeting, the director of education has recommended that the five closings take effect by September, that afternoon junior and senior kindergarten students be bused, and that full day junior and senior kindergarten be provided at Monsignor Philip Coffey Catholic School on a pilot project basis. Currently, afternoon kindergarten students aren't bused.

The DCDSB's cost savings will drop to $1.3 million from $1.5 million under the new recommendations, said Mr. Pulla. In addition, the costs for bussing afternoon kindergarten students will be $550,000.

The five schools now recommended for closure are Canadian Martyrs, Fr. Francis Mahoney, St. Gregory, Holy Cross, and St. Michael. St. Hedwig is now recommended to stay open, along with St. Christopher, Sir Albert Love, St. Thomas Aquinas, John the XXXIII, and Monsignor Philip Coffey. Advocates for St. Hedwig, located on Olive Avenue, gathered almost 800 signatures objecting to its closure while Father Francis Mahoney supporters garnered about 250 signatures prior to the April 15 public meeting.

"We heard that parents would be challenged with transportation of kindergarten students. We heard that not having a school between Olive Avenue and King Street would not serve the community well," said Mr. Pulla, in reference to comments made at the public meeting, attended by 150 people. "I do understand the problem of closing neighbourhood schools, having been raised in south Oshawa myself and affiliated with the schools under review as a student, a teacher, and a principal."

Mr. Pulla said concerns raised at the April 15 meeting that the DCDSB is trying to address include the absence of a Catholic school presence in downtown Oshawa, in the area north of Olive Avenue, south of King Street, and between Park Road and Athabasca Street. Other issues are the impact the new recommended boundaries would have on funnelling students away from Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School to Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School, and mid-day transportation of kindergarten students.

Oshawa Trustee Fred Jones asked if there were any projections about student enrolment beyond 2012, in reference to the fact that the proposed closures are based on declining enrolment. Controller of planning and admissions Gerry O'Neill replied the numbers of Catholic elementary students should flatline within six or seven years.

A final decision on the closures will be presented to the board of trustees at the May 26 board meeting and a final decision made.