Woodbank / NCI PAC Survey April 2014

There were 256 respondents, representing 102 students from Woodbank and 78 students from North Cedar ntermediate! "8# said $%& to a '(C board presentation - "Do you agree

that the PAC of Woodbank or NCI should sponsor a presentation to the Board of Trustees informing them that the urrent plans for Cedar !lementary do not properly refle t the "alues of this ommunity and that they should dire t distri t staff to alter the urrent plans to ensure that upgraded playing fields are prioriti#ed in the urrent plans and budget$"
"6# said )es to asking trustees to dire*t staff to +ook into a+ternati,es - "%in e the plan no&

only alls for '(() instead of the originally intended *(+) students to attend Cedar !lementary) PAC should re,uest that the trustees dire t distri t staff to determine if it is more ost effe ti"e to reno"ate one of the e-isting elementary s hools in the area$"
-pen.%nded /esponses . .Please add any other on erns that you ha"e &ith the urrent plans for

Cedar !lementary that you &ould like the presentation to in lude$/

0nfortunately) &e an only see &ritten responses from the first 122 respondents 3&e4d ha"e to upgrade to a "Pro" a ount to see the rest) something &e didn4t kno& &hen &e reated the sur"ey5$ The responses are all similar 6 generated appro-imately + pages-&orth of omments 3see belo&5

As a Community member it would be su ested t!at we "!an e t!e elementary s"!oolin #rom k$% at one o# t!e e&istin elementary s"!ools ' "ontinue to operate our Cedar (i ! S"!ool and keep )$12 s"!oolin wit!in our "ommunity* +!ese are our ta& dollars and we live in a demo"ra"y* Stop t!e di"tators!ip and start listenin to t!e people w!o voted you in* +!ere are numerous #ar better ' more "ost e##e"tive alternatives, i# you would -ust stop #or a moment and .IS+/N0 Sa#ety$ roads, #ields, #en"es, interior No "lear plans #or bat!room renovation No "lear plans #or outdoor play spa"e* No Clear plans #or sta##in and pro rams to be o##ered* No "lear plans i# it will be a "ommunity s"!ool wit! t!e e&tra"urri"ular pro rams* 1)ids in t!e kit"!en2 So mu"! e##ort !as been put into "onvin"in us t!at t!is new state3o#$t!e$art elementary s"!ool will improve our "!ildren4s edu"ation and now t!e distri"t is already takin away many o# t!e "onversions t!at would make it reat* +!is is una""eptable on so many levels* )eep our #ull "apa"ity !i ! s"!ool t!e way it is, invest s"!ool distri"t resour"es into up radin and "onvertin NCI into a reat )$% elementary0

W!y put our kids so "lose to a row op* Iisn5t t!ere enou ! trouble wit! dru s and al"o!ol in teens and preteens in our "ommunity6 W!y put t!em so "lose t!at t!e youn kids "an smell t!e sten"! t!at "ome #rom t!e row op -ust a"ross t!e #ields* +!ey would et use to t!e smell and possibly be"ome more interested and start tryin at a youn er a e* W!at about our kids runnin out towards t!e roads* So by only !avin "edar elementary runnin at less t!e "apa"ity you5re still sayin it4s more "ost e##i"ient to bus t!e !i ! s"!ool kids out to 7arsby s"!ool t!at is in a dan er 8one #rom t!e dams* +!at doesn4t make sense to put our kids in !arms way on purpose w!en t!ere are s"!ools in our "ommunity to a""ommodate t!em* Stop and t!ink about w!at you are tellin t!e parents #or Cedar kids* .et4s put t!e youn and vulnerable beside a dope !ouse so t!ey "an et !eada"!es #rom t!e sten"! and et use to t!e smell and possibly et t!em !ooked youn er on dope* Now let4s move t!e teens into a #lood alert area be"ause t!e Colliery dams "ould burst and t!e "ity won4t do anyt!in to prote"t our kids t!ere* C!an in Cedar Se"ondary is a bad de"ision #or t!e "!ildren, t!e "ommunity and t!e S"!ool 7oard* Cedar needs to keep its !i ! s"!ool* It will not be #ull and t!e renovations are a "olossal waste o# money* S9:; s!ould "!an e t!eir mind be#ore t!ey o #orward wit! t!is ridi"ulous and #inan"ially unviable plan* 9o it now be#ore you di yoursel# into a !ole0 +akin our !i ! s"!ool away #rom our "ommunity is asinine0 +!is pat!eti" plan !as !u e so"ial and lo isti"al impli"ations w!i"! will !eavily impa"t on our "!ildren and us as parents* +!e impa"t is not -ust to our "!ildren but to our w!ole "ommunity* We moved to t!e Cedar "ommunity ten years a o so our "!ildren "ould attend lo"al "ommunity s"!ools0 Not to !ave t!em s!ipped out to an entirely di##erent town* We would !ave never !ad de"ided to buy property and !ave a !ome in t!is town, !ad we know t!at a roup o# re"kless irresponsible trustees would vote to take away our !i ! s"!ool0 We do not even !ave street li !ts #or t!at matter $ anyw!ere* I promise i# t!is pat!eti" "losure proposal oes t!rou ! and somet!in !appens to one o# our "!ildren o# t!e "ommunity, t!e s"!ool board and it4s trustees will be !eld responsible and le al a"tions will #ollow* I attended t!e ma-ority o# t!e board meetin s and it was very "lear to me t!e roup o# trustees were -ust #ollowin standard pro"edure and never really listenin to any ar uments our "ommunity speakers w!ere tryin to et a"ross * W!at a mess you s"!ool trustees are makin * (ave you ever !eard t!e p!rase, i# it4s not broken don4t #i& it6 I do believe t!at you a "reatin work #or yourselves, so your employment "ontinues but at t!e pri"e o# our "!ildren4s well bein 6 (ow dare you* Nanaimo S"!ool trustee, now t!at is a per#e"t e&ample o# an o&ymoron <ou s!ould be as!amed, board o# trustees* Would t!e distri"t "onsider amendin t!eir "urrent plan6 Could t!ey "lose NCI, and move eit!er all area elementary students 1not oin to N=2 into Woodbank or do as .adysmit! is doin and pla"e rade % $ 12 into Cedar Community Se"ondary to put all s"!ools in our area at "apa"ity6 W!en #inan"es "!an e in our own !ouse!olds or businesses we make allowan"es and "!an e plans *** let5s not tell t!em t!at t!ey are wron , but it is time to re$evaluate t!e plan0 I am worried t!at we are oin to lose residents aka> "!ildren be"ause o# t!e S9:; "ra8y ideas #or Cedar s"!oolin *** I4ve talked to a number o# people w!o will be movin out o# Cedar i# t!is !appens in"ludin ourselves***we want our kids in a !i ! s"!ool t!at is near !ome* (ave t!ey looked into !ow many students will still be in Cedar a#ter t!is is all #inis!ed6

?y son is one o# t!e proposed 2%% t!at t!e distri"t believes will be attendin Cedar /lementary* (e will not be oin $ so make t!at 2%:* @lterior motives and politi"al a endas seem to be at t!e #ore#ront and not t!e needs o# t!e "!ildren or "ommunities t!at supports t!em* I am a parent o# a "edar !i ! s"!ool student* ?y "!ild4s s"!ool li#e is bein altered not o# my "!oosin but be"ause I was bein told it was t!e best t!in #or t!e "ommunity* +!e t!in is, I am "learly !earin t!e "ommunity say, it is not t!e best t!in * A lot o# Cedar residents !ave to move due to t!e !i ! s"!ool "losure* ?y son and I !ave to and I am losin my business and t!ere#ore e&isten"e in "edar* Cedar is losin medi"al servi"es provided and all o# t!at "osts me a #ortune* +!at4s insane* I !ave a "!ild at Cedar Se"ondary* Please leave t!in s in Cedar, pertainin to t!e #un"tionin o# t!e s"!ools as t!ey are* I am "on"erned about my "!ild4s edu"ation and t!e la"k o# t!ou !t t!at is oin into t!is bi mer e* No AA+ pro ram is a bi sour note #or me* ?y "!ildren are very artisti" and wit! t!at #antasti" spa"e at t!e (i ! s"!ool, it is a s!ame* I am "on"erned t!at t!ey will need more sta## at a s"!ool t!is si8e t!at is !al# #ull in terms o# B9utiesB* Wit! t!e s"!ool bein situated t!e way it is, t!ere are many spots #or "!ildren to et out o# si !t* I am also "on"erned about t!e Cuality o# edu"ation my "!ildren will re"eive in su"! a lar e s"!ool, wit! mu"! #ewer students* +!e idea was to !ave a lar er s"!ool wit! better pro rams, but wit! low enrolment t!is will not !appen and we all know t!at* I "ould o on and on* +!ank you* Woodbank "ould be kept open #or 2%% students at a lower "ost t!an t!e ot!er options on t!e table We all want our "!ildren to !ave t!e best edu"ation in t!e best #a"ility possible 7@+ sa#ety !as to also be a top priority* +!e "urrent plan does not make me #eel like any sa#ety "on"erns !ave been met #or )inder arten and youn er "!ildren* We must en"oura e outdoor play and e&ploration but not in swamp #illed #ields t!at nei !bor a row op and skate park t!at are wide open and not #en"ed or partitioned in any way* I #eel stron ly t!at t!e 7oard s!ould wait to start "onstru"tion until t!e proper enrolment numbers !ave been at!ered in t!e Dall* We are Cranberry residents wit! our ta& dollars oin to t!e s"!ools in t!e area* =ur dau !ter went to C!ase Aiver w!en Sout! Wellin ton "losed in an e##ort to redu"e t!e impa"t o# "!an in s"!ools on"e a ain at t!e end o# t!is year #or !er last year in elementary* Erow op Den"in around t!e entire s"!ool sa#ety o# s"!ool #ields Den"in around t!e s"!ool espe"ially in t!e #ront FFF +(/ A=A9S += +(/ N/W C/9AA /./?/N+AA< AA/ ?@C( +== 9ANE/A=@S D=A <=@NE C(I.9A/N += WA.) =A AI9/ +(/IA 7I)/S += AN9 DA=? FFF ?y Eranddau !ter will be oin to s"!ool in Cedar* Please e&plain to t!e board t!at to re"on#i ure Woodbank into a )$% s"!ool and keep t!e !i ! s"!ool t!e way it is, is t!e way to o*

(i ! s"!ool kids won5t be able to !ave a#ter s"!ool a"tivities, or -obs due to bussin * Way to kill a "ommunity* I# I still !ad kids in s"!ool I would !ome$s"!ool t!em instead o# t!e alternatives* We moved to Cedar 14 yrs a o be"ause our kids !ad all t!eir s"!ools t!ere* I would pre#er an independent review be "ondu"ted re ardin "ost e##e"tiveness o# any #uture plans* +ea"!er stora e 1elementary vs !i ! s"!ool materials vary reatly2 7and room is lo"ated IN t!e s"!oolG is it really soundproo#6 +!ank you #or representin t!e Cedar parents* We appre"iate it* We love Woodbank0 I o to t!e !i ! s"!ool and I would really like to raduate t!ere wit! all my #riends instead o# splittin us up and sendin some to 7arsby and some to .adysmit! or ot!er s"!ools* I4m in rade ; and t!is !as been t!e best s"!ool year #or me sin"e Woodbank and it5s a reat s"!ool #ree #rom bullyin * It4s ridi"ulous !avin no !i ! s"!ool in Cedar* Parents already stru le ettin kids to s"!ool now !avin to o to .adysmit! or Nanaimo Would t!e support network #or kids w!o !ave learnin disabilities stay at "urrent level or be"ome non$ e&istent6 ?y son !as an awesome support team in"ludin prin"ipal o# Woodbank workin to !elp !im any way t!ey "an* I am "on"erned t!at in 2 years5 time !e will et lost in t!e s!u##le and t!e !ard work sin"e t!is year and ne&t year will su##er* +!e s"!ool is a very new buildin so my main "on"ern is t!at t!e #ields are repaired and t!at tra##i" "almin measures are put in pla"e* =! wow* Any "on"erns H takin our kids out o# t!eir "ommunity* 7ot! o# my kids were edu"ated !ere and i# t!ey sla"ked o## t!e tea"!ers !eld t!eir #eet to t!e #ire, be"ause t!ey a"tually ot to know t!eir students* +!eir sports pro rams at Cedar are se"ond to none, brou !t t!e "ommunity to et!er to "!eer on our lo"al "edar kids, su"! pride we all !ad, and t!e kids, w!at a boost to t!eir sel#$esteem, and now you want to destroy all o# t!at, a !i ! s"!ool t!at !as su"! a !u e raduation rate, and w!y is t!at, be"ause it4s workin , but t!at doesn4t seem to matter, no matter !ow su""ess#ul t!is s"!ool !as be"ome, yet more and more #amilies are movin to our area #or t!e li#estyle, and !opin desperately t!at t!eir kids "an be edu"ated !ere in Cedar* +ake anot!er look at w!at you5re doin , doesn4t make sense to "lose one o# t!e newest !i ! s"!ool, t!at !as proven, by its raduation rates to be doin everyt!in ri !t0 We will be "!oosin to send our "!ildren to an alternative s"!ool rat!er t!an enroll our #our "!ildren in t!e super s"!ool* I wonder !ow many ot!er parents will also "!oose not to send t!eir "!ildren* Also I !ave a "!ild wit! !i ! needs w!o was not approved #or #undin #or an aid but would 1in my opinion2 be in dan er at t!e me a s"!ool based on its si8e and lo"ation* I would like to !ear !ow t!ey plan to keep #li !t risk and "!ildren wit! !i ! needs sa#e in su"! a lar e environment so "lose to a busy road w!ere t!ere !as already been a #atality t!is year* Can"el t!e w!ole plan or at least ive us bussin to .adysmit! /very student in sd:; su##ers i# t!ey use t!e rant money poorly0

+!e distri"t s!ould not be willin or able to move "!ildren as youn as I into t!is lo"ation until t!e sa#ety "on"erns are addressed* Cross walks tra##i" "almin , #en"ed perimeter, row op removed, !a8ards in s"!ool yard* +!e 7oard states t!at Woodbank is too old60 W!at about Nort! =yster S"!ool6 (ow old is it6 It is stayin open* (ow is it le ally =)A< or Bsa#eB t!at t!ere will be no #en"in around t!e #ront o# t!e s"!ool60 I attended Nort! Cedar /lementary S"!ool w!i"! !ad #en"in AN9 #ields t!at were useable0 +!is is t!e same property0 Also, w!at is t!e upstairs o# t!is !i ! s"!ool oin to be used #or w!en it4s an elementary s"!ool6 I understand t!at t!ere will be reat pro rams #or our "!ildren but w!at about t!eir sa#ety0000666 W!at kind o# people are you6 Drustrated* Alt!ou ! I do not !ave a "!ild attendin "urrently, my son will be attendin )inder arten in 201I* ?y ot!er "on"erns w!ere "olle"ted at a PAC meetin * +!ey s!ould also en"oura e t!e board to enter into an e&tended "onsultation like .adysmit! !ad* +!e "urrent plan does not reCuire a year to "omplete, it is so s"aled ba"k so t!ey "ould easily work wit! t!e "ommunity i# t!ey wanted* 9e#initely t!ere are tra##i"/pedestrian "on"erns #or youn students attendin t!e new elementary s"!ool* +!e la"k o# suitable playin #ields and t!e la"k o# "ommitment around suitable toilets is una""eptable* +!is is not an en!an"ed #a"ility #or elementary a ed "!ildren* +!e w!ole desi n is a bad #it and unsa#e #or small "!ildren0 So y #ields, no "overed play area, poor sa#ety re ardin parkin lot and roads, t!ese t!in s are not a""eptable in a primary settin * Alt!ou ! NCI was also a renovated !i ! s"!ool it does not !ouse t!e primary rades* Also t!e enrollment numbers are a !u e "on"ern* (ow do we know t!at t!ey won4t deem our new elementary s"!ool as Bunderutili8edB in a year or two, it4s not like we "an "ount on t!e distri"t to be !onest and #ort!ri !t* It is likely t!at I will N=+ send my "!ild to t!is s"!ool* Costs are way too !i ! to "onvert a !i ! s"!ool into a me a elementary s"!ool* +ake t!at money 1more t!an likely a .=+ ./SS2 and renovate an e&istin elementary s"!ool and keep t!e !i ! s"!ool #ull o# !i ! s"!ool students* Not !al# #ull o# elementary s"!ool "!ildren* +!e two elementary s"!ools out !ere are per#e"tly a""eptable to "ontinue usin one o# t!em #or )$%* +!is latest plan re#le"ts -ust !ow mu"! !as "!an ed $ numbers$wise $ t!an was stated by 9istri"t :; t!at will attendin t!is apparent me a elementary s"!ool* It5s no lon er me a and to spend millions to open wit! less students t!an are "urrently at t!is s"!ool is -ust bad bad bud etin and terrible mismana ement o# ta& payer5s money* +!ere is no "ommon sense in t!is plan as it sits now* It is #inan"ially irresponsible to o #ort! wit! t!e s"!ool distri"ts "urrent plan I t!ink t!at NCI s!ould be update to support t!e elementary s"!ool* ?ore so be"ause o# t!e lar er ym and dead end road*

As it stands now #rom readin t!e presentation and t!e in#ormation I !ave !eard in t!e "ommunity, my "!ildren would not attend t!e new Ben!an"edB s"!ool as I believe t!eir s"!ools now are more "apable o# !andlin an elementary population* Eender neutral bat!rooms6 Seriously 6 +!ey are spendin all t!is money #or 2%% kids* +!e row op ne&t to s"!ool property* ?y dau !ter would !ave attended Cedar Se"ondary* 9ue to t!e mistakes made by t!e S9:; sta##, t!at won4t be !appenin * I #eel t!at many o# t!e S9:; trustees won4t be re$ele"ted ne&t year, so we "an overturn t!e de"ision to "lose CCSS and I would !ate to see money wasted on a terribly planned idea* 12 Aoad Sa#ety 22 Swampy Dields J2 /&terior doors on round$level "lassrooms 42 Cost asso"iated wit! retoolin CCSS "ompared to Woodbank I2 Appropriateness o# overall CCSS #a"ility "ompared to Woodbank 1or NCI2* :2 Cedar !as made it "lear #rom t!e start t!at we didn4t want to lose our !i ! s"!ool, i# we did we4d pre#er .adysmit! as a "at"!ment ' t!at we would pre#er Woodbank be t!e "onsolidated s"!ool #or )$% kids* +!e 7oard !as i nored A.. o# our wis!es and i nored us in "onsultation* It needs to stop*