Who will be affected by a swap? REAL PEOPLE

This is a letter posted on social media by a concerned Earl Grey parent that I think speaks volumes to the value of Earl Grey and the programs it offers. This discusses the importance of the Earl Grey Children's Centre (EGCC) in her life. The EGCC is under threat, being licensed ONLY for the current Earl Grey location. This is a REAL person that will be affected. These are the kinds of stories coming out now that real fears of a swap are hitting people. 

As a single mother, It would be so much simpler for me to leave this community, move back to St. James where I grew up. I have friends and family to lean on as supports out that way. 

I choose not to do this because my daughter is thriving at Earl Grey! She loves everyone there. I know everyone loves her, too. 

I am filled with absolute joy when a classroom of kids drop everything, run to the door, exclaiming her name as she arrives! That is the positivity I want her to be surrounded with. 

Whenever I have needed some help, Earl Grey Children's Centre is always there to offer some assistance where possible. The directors and the staff are amazing. I know my daughter is safe and I know she will be happy. Some days she asks to stay longer!
I cannot fathom our life without Earl Grey.

Countering the 600: What is Earl Grey's ACTUAL student capacity?

Last night, we had a meeting with the Winnipeg School Division and the Trustees where both Earl Grey and LaVerendrye school's had a chance to present their arguements both for and against a potential school swap.

One of the most frustrating aspects of this entire process is battling an important piece of information, which is the student capacity of Earl Grey School. The number that continues to be used is a figure of roughly 600 students. Given that the reasoning for a school swap is that Earl Grey supposedly has such a large capacity, LaVerendrye School can move in and have an abundance of room to grow. This is not actually correct, and is only falsely propping up the hopes of LaVerendrye parents desperately looking for a solution to their overcrowding issues.

The following is a letter sent by one of Earl Grey's Parent Council representatives to Trustee Babinsky seeking clarification of this number, and explaining why it is completely inaccurate.

Dear Mr. Babinsky,

I have chosen to write specifically to you because in the two meetings in which we have both been present, I have seen you ask for clarification and seek real facts pertaining to the school swap issue.  I believe that you are doing your due diligence in this matter and so it for this reason that I ask you to look further into the Earl Grey capacity discrepancy.

At the WSD meeting tonight, you asked the administration for a real number on the school capacity. Mr. Chartrand seemed at first unsure and then referred to a document and without citing the source, said 600.  This number has been repeated throughout this process despite our efforts to show in both visual and verbal representations that this is not accurate.

The building was built in 1915.  Since then many renovations have occurred that has reduced the number of individual classroom space by amalgamating into larger areas for music, art, science, computer, offices, lounges, etc.  The actual number of home room classrooms is not what it once was and, by today's educational standards, it is no longer appropriate to have rows of desks with  40 students per room.  Additionally, specialized programming such as our LAC program and elementary class cap sizes further reduces the real capacity, not just the on paper capacity.  As programming can change from year to year, I think it is reasonable to state that capacity is somewhat variable but even with generous estimations, Earl Grey would fall between 400-450.  That would NOT include any dedicated rooms for onsite childcare which would put the actual 'bums in seats' for home room  capacity at approximately 350-375.  This is based on my calculations from having the floor plans and seeing how the space is currently used.  To my knowledge, no onsite assessment has been completed by the division administration and my understanding is that outdated division metrics do not allow for any space to be counted as dedicated educational space.  They simply take the number of rooms as though they are all home room classrooms.

This is very significant because using false or outdated data drastically affects perceptions, for both sides.  It is unfair for Earl Grey to continuously be represented in reports and media as being extremely under utilized because it is not, at least not to the extent that continues to be reported.   While it is true we have some room for growth, our enrolment and use of space has never before been identified as an issue by the division until now.  It is being held against us instead of being commended for meeting divisional mandates on class size and use of space for specialized programs and dedicated music, art, science and computer labs.  Perhaps even more importantly is that LaVerendrye, without actually having done a real space analysis in our building, is expecting that they can move almost 400 elementary students, add a junior high and maintain a Kindercare and parent run daycare program.  They cannot.  If they did, they would be in exactly the same position of losing dedicated common educational space to make individual home room space again.

So, Mr. Babinsky, you can understand my frustration with this one issue in particular.  In a process that has been inherently flawed, I am very disappointed that the administration who is responsible for these schools does not seem to know the actual facts on the buildings themselves and the real logistics of space utilization from both sides.  When asked by you what the capacity was, it should have been something our superintendent knew, for a FACT, citing the source and the metrics used.

I implore you to please hold our division accountable for doing some actual fact finding and to make accurate information known for all.  Regardless of the outcome, I personally need to know the decision was made with integrity and real data and I believe you do too.

Thank you for your time,

More Information on Earl Grey Children's Center

Earl Grey Children’s Centre has operated out of Earl Grey School for 35 years.  We are a provincially licensed early childhood education centre serving 71 children ages 3-12 years.  We employ 15 Early Childhood Educators and support the Earl Grey School community exclusively.  We do not transport to other centres and all of our children attend Earl Grey School.  We directly affect enrolment for the school; parents choose Earl Grey because of the Child Care Centre.  We operate all year long providing care during in-services and school closures including winter, spring and summer break.

All of our staff are trained educators; provincial regulations require staff to have Early Childhood Education training.  Our Early Childhood Education (ECE) Level 3 staff are qualified to teach Nursery.  Our provincially mandated curriculum ensures that, as an early childhood education centre, we have children school ready by grade 1.

Our commitment to the school and vice versa is paramount to each other’s success. Three years ago we expanded our centre by 15 spaces on request of the school to meet the higher enrolment demands.  This kind of cooperation between child care and educational systems is a vital community service that is supported by all levels of government and backed by empirical evidence in the latest research on early childhood education outcomes.

In the event of a school swap, our future in either building is uncertain at best.  According to the Community Consultation statement on the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) website, we are viewed as mere tenants who may only be offered space providing that it is available. We have begun to look at contingency planning and have determined that there is no suitable location within walking distance for us to relocate and still serve the Earl Grey Community.  A school swap would effectively shut down a child care centre that has been in operation for 35 years, leave 71 children without early educational child care and cause 15 people to lose their jobs.  This is not just a matter of trading buildings.  There is much more at stake here. 

Additionally, Earl Grey School is directly connected to other child care systems in the same one block community.  Dante Nursery has been in operation for 41 years.  Originally they operated from the school and then later moved to the building directly behind, adjacent to the Community Club.

They provide provincially licensed childcare space from infancy through preschool.  Each year they have up to 15 children who attend Nursery and Kindergarten at Earl Grey and, due to their proximity, are able to walk those kids to and from school.  Like Earl Grey Children’s Centre, they are open year round and provide care during school closure and holidays.  However, if Earl Grey School moves, they will not be able to transport.  The centre itself is not in jeopardy but 15 more children will lose their child care option.

Both centres currently have waiting lists from families who, in anticipation of their children attending Earl Grey School are waiting for space.  Child care waiting lists are over 2 years long, even longer for infant care. Families in our community who are planning their childcare and school future based on the locations of the school and child care centres will be affected.  These decisions affect not just those of us using the services now, but also families in our community well into the future.

The Earl Grey Community Club provides programming to many Earl Grey students every day.  They run before and after school and lunch supervision programs in which 40-60 children regularly attend.

Despite the number of licensed child care spaces, there will never be enough and the Community Club provides an invaluable resource for those families who cannot secure or afford licensed child care space and for adolescent children who need a safe and secure place to be outside of school hours.

The Community Club does not have the means to transport kids or assure their safe arrival to the club if they were expected to travel alone.  As a result these families would no longer have the affordable and trusted supervision for their children.    It is the proximity of the Community Centre to the School that makes this programming successful.  Four blocks may not seem like much to you or I, but to these children and their families, it is a barrier they cannot surmount.

On January 24, 2015 The Winnipeg Free Press released the first of a year-long series on child-care as a key economic and education issue, leading up to the Provincial and Federal elections.  They site many sources all of whom agree with the current research that supports the collaboration between schools and early childhood education centres including the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents, The Manitoba School Boards Association, Manitoba Family Services, Healthy Child Manitoba, and Manitoba Education.  Some of the key points are as follows:

• Economic experts and child-care studies globally support the fact that a child who gets a decent start in the preschool years has a much brighter future.  Long term positive outcomes and cost-savings include improved school performance, reduced special education placement, lower school drop-out rates and increased lifelong earning potential.

• A new generation of brain research shows the incredible value of early-childhood education.  This greater understanding of the importance of the preschool years has led to increasing integration of programs and services for preschoolers with programs and services for school age children.  This data is so persuasive, even economists have taken notice because the evidence shows experiences during the first five years of life have a material impact on economic and social success, including educational, health and overall well-being.  This science has begun to inform education policy.

• In Manitoba about half of all daycare centres are located in or next to schools.  The province requires that new schools include purpose-built childcare centres and are working to ensure that existing centres will be protected by Bill 7.   Bill 7 is an amendment to the Public Schools Act protecting child care spaces in school settings which has been put before the Legislature of Manitoba in cooperation with The Manitoba School Boards Association.  The Act is based on the following standards: WHEREAS licensed child care centres in schools let children move seamlessly between child care and school within a safe, secure and nurturing environment; AND WHEREAS families, school boards and child care centres all benefit by being able to plan knowing that the child care space will continue to be available;   it protects  a child care centre operating out of a school setting by requiring full cooperation, agreement and planning to occur between the school division, the child care centre and the provincial Minister regarding any changes in space or location.   Minister of Education Peter Bjornson made the first reading in November 2014 and it is expected to pass without objection.  As elected trustees of the School Board Office, I respectfully suggest that any decision made needs to adhere to the spirit of this legislation pending the official Royal Assent passing it into law because the goal of the province in collaboration with school divisions is towards integrating early learning childcare centres with the current formalized educational system.

How to make your voice heard

The Winnipeg School Division has hired a firm to survey the community to help in the decision making process as to whether a school swap will be approved or tossed out.

Thus far in this blog, we have outlined the value of Earl Grey School, particularly in it's current location, the fact that it is, indeed, a school increasingly in demand and will be hindered by a smaller school facility, the potential for job loses and the closing of the Earl Grey Children's Centre, the dismantling of the Jr. High classes, which will leave many students in the cold and looking for alternatives with no guarantees of transport or adequate accommodation.  We have expressed that this process has been done without giving much information to Earl Grey School as to the full impacts, but thus far the impacts that we are sure of are damaging to the school community, and force us to have to fight for the school's future.

You can help us by visiting the survey website and show your support in stopping the swap between Earl Grey School and LaVerendrye School and encouraging the Winnipeg School Division to follow one of the other paths to solving LaVerendrye's overcrowding issues.

The survey can be found here: http://www.pra.ca/en/WSDcommunitysurvey

Thank You!

What happens to Earl Grey Children's Centre in case of a swap?

Due to how quickly the idea of a school swap was sprung on Earl Grey School, despite the fact other parties involved appear to have a head start on information gathering, Earl Grey School is unfortunately left in the dark as to how a swap would impact programs like Earl Grey Children's Centre (EGCC).

There are those that would like a full school swap by September 2015. With so much up in the air and so much information missing, we are left scrambling and seeking out any information we can. But there are also a number of glaring realities in how EGCC will be impacted. This post outlines the huge number of concerns and the plain facts regarding a school swap, including the possible closure of the Centre and the loss of jobs.

EARL GREY CHILDREN’S CENTRE (EGCC) IMPACT FACTS

BACKGROUND

·         Earl Grey Children’s Centre has been operating out of Earl Grey School for 35 years.  We are a non-profit provincially licensed early childhood education centre serving 71 children ages 3-12 years.  We employ 15 Early Childhood Educators.

·         We service the Earl Grey School exclusively and our programming is fully integrated with the school system.  We directly affect enrollment and we exist solely to serve Earl Grey’s needs.  Ex. Three years ago we expanded another room and added 15 spots on request of the school to meet enrollment demands.

Other Community Childcare affected:

·         Dante Nursery serves up to 15 children per year who attend Earl Grey School.  They are unable to transport in the event of swap.

·         Earl Grey Community Club supports 40-60 children per day in their before and after and lunch programming.  They also cannot transport.

·         Home daycares have contacted us to inform they will not be able to transport as they also care for infants and cannot take them out in extreme weather. 

MIXED MESSAGES

The Trustees:

·         We have heard many of the trustees acknowledge the importance of our centre to the school community.  Thank you. 

·         Many have made statements of support in regards to our continued operation in the event of a swap though it seems unclear if anyone fully knows if or how that would happen.    

·         How do the trustees plan to address this uncertainty?  Is there a plan in place to work with us?

The Division:

·         Last year we received a letter, completely random at the time, ensuring we were aware of their policy to provide 90 days notice for eviction.  When the swap was raised as an option on December 15th 2014 the trustees voted in the favour of maintenance of the status quo whereby Ecole LaVerendrye would continue to operate as a N-6 school in its present location, to request additional classrooms from the Department of Education and Advanced Learning and explore the possibility of establishing a new French milieu program outside of establishing a new French milieu program outside of the existing École LaVérendrye catchment area. On February 2nd, 2015 the vote was reversed and amended options were put forth by the board as possible solutions for community consultation. 

·         On the WSD website outlining the new consultation process, it states we are business tenants in the school. There is no acknowledgement of our long standing and integrated relationship.

·         The process that prevented the school administration from giving us any direct communication on the jeopardy we faced perpetuates the perception that we are not valued by the WSD administration.

·         If one of the options requires use of our space i.e. swap or space sharing with LaV, will the division only give us 90 days’ notice or will we be offered some planning time or allowed to remain until the school moves?

The Province:

·         The province has made childcare, in particular its relationship with school communities, a priority.  It supports the research that shows a seamless integration between early years and formal school benefits everyone and has implemented policies to reflect this.

·         New schools are mandated to include purpose-built space for early education childcare centres.

·         Bill 7, an amendment to the public schools act has been put before the Legislature to protect existing centres operating in schools. 

·         Is the WSD aware of the provincial views or Bill 7?  Is the rushed timeline intended to ‘beat’ the legislation?

SCENARIO LOGISTICS

Scenario A: A school swap is voted in and it is determined that there is space for EGCC in the new location.

·         Provincially licensed centres must meet certain criteria including #square feet, natural light, washroom facilities/child ratios, sinks in rooms, food preparation kitchen space, etc.

·         EGCC’s operating license is based on the space we have in our current location.  It is not transferable.

·         We would effectively be opening a brand new centre and would have to ensure it was possible, structurally, to do renovations to meet provincial standards. 

·         Renovations take time and money.  It would not be something we could accomplish during the summer break between school years.  There would be a disruption of service for a majority of the first year.

·         At Earl Grey School, the WSD approved us doing a $45,000 kitchen installation.  We raised funds and received grants from Community Places.  Since this is not WSD property but cannot be moved, would the WSD commit these funds to allow us to recreate our facilities in a new space?  What compensation would be offered for other centre funds invested in the existing space?

Scenario B: A school swap is voted in and we are allowed to remain in our current location.

·         This scenario was noted in a letter from the LaV community council to the board.  It is important to note that we were not consulted on this ‘solution’ and no onsite assessment of our space was done.  It is highly unlikely this would be possible due to LaV’s space needs and their own KinderCare service.

·         The centre and most families are opposed to this option due to the hardship of transporting young children to and from school up to 4 times per day, especially in extreme weather. 

·         The centre would not be able to remain in a space if their access to shared school space or movements within the school were in any way restricted by a segregation based on language.  It is against our value system and curriculum requirements which support cultural integration.

Scenario C: A school swap is voted in and there is no available space for us to move with the school.

·         We have done our contingency research and there is no suitable space within walking distance of the school that is available or affordable.  We are unable to afford to operate motor vehicle transportation services to be located further away.

·         This scenario would cause the centre to close permanently.   71 children would be without early education childcare.  Parents would have to start over on a 2+ year waiting list for care. 

·         Many of these children would be unable to remain enrolled at Earl Grey as parents seek and eventually secure care in schools that do support a relationship with a childcare centre.

·         15 people would lose their jobs. 

·         Is losing the centre a factor in considering the swap or are we an add one that you hope to support but if not, then that is just an unfortunate consequence?

Scenario D: A school swap is NOT voted in and we remain in our current relationship with the school.

·         Obviously, this is our preference and we would breathe a collective sigh of relief with the rest of the community.  However it is important to note that based on the perceived lack of value we have to the WSD itself, we would not feel completely safe and secure until Bill 7 passes into law and until we saw the WSD change its statements and actions to reflect the Provincial values on childcare in schools.

·         Is there a disconnect between the WSD, the board of trustees and the province in terms of early education priorities and is this on the radar to be addressed in any way after all this is over?