Elgin Market school in Kincardine will become a JK to Grade 8 French Immersion school in the near future.
Bluewater board trustees voted 8 to 3 in favour of the recommendation by the Kincardine Accomodation Review Committee.
KTTPS will be a JK to Grade 3 English school and Huron Heights will continue as a Grade 4 to 8 English school.
ARC chair Richard Yun says he’s happy the board has taken the work of the ARC group and approved it but he says they’re now at the start of another long journey to implement the changes.
Board Chair Marg Gaviller voted against the decision saying the plan calls for a 62 thousand dollar deficit every year.
Gaviller says the board already has problems with its budgetting.
However trustee Kevin Larson, who voted in favour says the deficit is a drop in the bucket when compared to the rural supplement that the system gets from the province, totalling 800 thousand dollars.
Kincardine resident Cheryl Giffin, addressed the board calling for them to maintain the status quo until they had a better handle on the future of education in Kincardine.
Giffin says she fears a French Immersion school at Elgin Market will isolate thoses students from their peers in other schools.
Kincardine trustee Jan Johnstone says she’s impressed with the majority vote and says down the road, there’s no reason why the French Immersion school couldn’t partner with the public French board, should they need classroom space for their studies.
Besides Gaviller, Southgate/Grey Highlands trustee Jim Dawson and Brockton/South Bruce trustee Dan Wong voted against the recommendation.
