Process by which a decision was made to relocate the Windsor House Program from the Lucas Centre to the Maplewood Site in September 2009
For the past five years, the Windsor House Parent Advisory Council has consulted with many people and been involved in numerous meetings to discuss concerns about the program operating out of an adult learning facility (Lucas Centre). The list of problems over the five years Windsor House has been at the Lucas Centre is extensive and has resulted in lost educational opportunities for many students.
The Windsor House Vision and Facility Committee was established to look at ongoing facility related concerns and how best to find solutions. Part of this work involved collaboration with the Society for the Advancement of Non-coercive Education (The Troy Report) as well as working with North Vancouver School District administration (mainly through the Windsor House Advisory Committee) and Trustee Liaisons to Windsor House. Windsor House has had representation at all levels of the North Vancouver School District for many years (NVPAC, Toward the Future of Schools, Community Forums, Appreciative Inquiry, etc.) As the Lucas Centre was only meant as a temporary location for the program, the Windsor House Community has worked respectfully in the collaborative process for finding the best location/facility – for Windsor House and the NVSD - as soon as possible.
At the January 27th 2009 Board Meeting, the Board unanimously passed the following motion:
"That the Board support The Society for the Advancement of Non-Coercive Education’s (SANE) proposal to create a Neighbourhoods of Learning project to be located within the same facility as Windsor House Alternate Program commencing September 2009;
And further, that the Board asks staff to provide options back to the Board by the March 10, 2009 Board Meeting of preferred locations for the Neighbourhoods of Learning Project and Windsor House in consultation with representatives from SANE, Windsor House administration, Windsor House staff, Windsor House PAC and Trustee Liaison for Windsor House."
Senior administration then set dates for consultation meetings and emailed participants:
Monday Feb. 16 from 7-9 pm
Wednesday Feb. 18 from 7-9 pm
Wednesday Feb. 25 from 7-9 pm if necessary.
The first meeting included Larry Johnson (chair/Assistant Superintendent), Irene Young (Secretary Treasurer), Barbara Leigh (WH principal), Meghan Carrico (WH teacher), Helen Hughes, Sky Robertson (SANE), Steve Galliford, Laurie Baird (WH PAC), Mary Tasi (WH Trustee Liaison).
At this first meeting Barbara Leigh explained various components of the WH program – Self Discovery, Shared Leadership, FAME Prep, Experiential, etc. Helen Hughes then explained her views on the best way to start the Neighbourhoods of Learning (NOL) project – there is an immediate need for after school care; then collaborate with the greater community for other concepts (seniors’ drop-in, community space, etc.)
Administration provided participants with floor plans for the Westover and Maplewood sites as both current private leases will expire in the near future, making those locations options for Windsor House/NOL. The Maplewood lease expires in the summer of 2009 while the Westover lease expires in the summer of 2010. Representatives from Windsor House and SANE expressed a strong interest in the Maplewood site as the physical layout of the facility not only meets the needs of both groups, its location is closer to Second Narrows Bridge and Deep Cove, thus serving a larger population (East of Seymour/East Vancouver/North Burnaby) than the Westover site and it is accessible by public transit. Windsor House and a Neighbourhood of Learning at that site can also serve the Maplewood community.
During the meeting, questions were asked about the status of the current tenants at Maplewood. Participants were told by Irene Young that the Lions Gate Christian Academy Board had been told on numerous occasions for more than a year not to expect a lease extension. Participants were also informed that because of rot and mould problems, the south wing of the Maplewood facility might need to be closed, thus creating a much smaller space for WH/SANE and certainly rendering it too small a location for the LGCA, should they have wished to try to renew their lease. Irene Young informed the meeting that the School Board is under no obligation to renew private leases.
At the second meeting, participants were joined by Cara Elrod (CUPE) and NVSD Director of Facilities, Ian Abercrombie, who showed photos of problems in the building. Ian distributed the results of his department’s study of the Maplewood facility:
Maplewood: Reduced Reno and Costs allocated to Main Building and Modular
Participants discussed this report; there was consensus that because of the significant costs associated with repairing the modular (south wing), we would agree with Ian that that part of the building should be closed and/or demolished ASAP. Although this would leave a much smaller facility (190 elementary school student capacity, down from 285) and would limit the extent of the initial SANE NOL project, it would be a good fit for Windsor House, still leaving some room for anticipated increased enrolment over the next few years. The SANE after school care program would still be able to start in the facility in September 2009. Discussion continued with senior administration representatives suggesting that two portables could be made available in November 2009 and consideration could be also given to locate the demountable (currently at the former Lonsdale site) to Maplewood after it has served the Queen Mary and Ridgeway students (after those construction projects are finished). Participants asked Ian if he would be able to further look into the potential mould problems in the non-modular portion of the Maplewood site.
There was consensus after this second meeting that the options (as per the January Board motion) would include:
1) WH/NOL moves to the entire Maplewood site in Sept 2009 with all reno's to be completed ASAP (difficult because of cost and short time frame from end of private lease)
2) WH/NOL moves to the non-modular portion of Maplewood in September 2009 with only needed/necessary reno's to be completed ASAP and the south wing boarded up.
3) WH/NOL moves to Westover in September 2010
After further discussing these 3 options, there was consensus that option # 2 would be the most cost effective way to meet the immediate needs of WH/NOL and the NVSD while respecting the unanimous Board motion of January 27th.
Participants agreed that if senior administration deemed a third meeting necessary, we would be available Wednesday, February 25th. On that date, however, WH PAC representatives received an email from Barbara Leigh:
"Larry said that when he met with John (superintendant) and presented the recommendations from last week, John did not raise any concerns. So there is no need to meet tonight."
March 10th 2009 Board Meeting
Eight pages from the Board Package dealt with the Windsor House relocation and included a staff report & options for the WH/NOL location for September 2009. The options were reported to the Trustees by Assistant Superintendent Larry Johnson. Also at the table were Secretary Treasurer Irene Young and Director of Facilities Ian Abercrombie. Ian reported that subsequent to the consultation meetings, an independent engineering firm had been hired to complete an envelope study and while a conservative estimate of 1.3 million dollars to add 5 – 10 years to the facility was given, Ian stated there are other schools in the district with similar needs and the Board will need to decide on upgrade priorities. As evidenced by the previous NVSD facility report (above), considerably less money is needed to renovate the usable section of the facility for up to 5 years. Ian reported that there did not seem to be a mould problem in the non-modular section of the Maplewood facility.
After much discussion at the Board table:
Moved by L Buchanan, Seconded by B Forward, Defeated (4-2-1)
that the Board receive the Report on Possible Location of Neighbourhoods of Learning Proposal in Conjunction with Windsor House, as attached to this Administrative Memorandum of March 10, 2009, and that the Board defer any decision related to this matter until May 26, 2009 and request administrative staff to prepare a report for the Board’s Public Meeting on May 26, 2009 with an analysis of the Report’s recommendations and the impact on the 2009/2010 Annual Operating Budget and the Board’s Strategic Plan.
A subsequent motion:
Moved by M Tasi, Seconded by S Skinner, Carried; Opposed: H Back, L Buchanan, F Stratton
that the North Vancouver Board of Education request staff to implement Option #2: Maplewood September 2009 with the South Wing Closed or Demolished as contained in the Report on Possible Location of Neighbourhood of Learning Proposal in Conjunction with Windsor House, specifically that Windsor House, in conjunction with the SANE Neighbourhood of Learning, be located at the Maplewood School facility for September 2009; and further that staff communicate this decision to all affected parties at their earliest opportunity; and that further, the Board requests staff to look at viable options for Lions Gate Christian Academy at other school district facilities.
Note: After learning the current Maplewood tenants (Lions Gate Christian Academy) were having difficulty in securing another facility on expiration of their lease, the Windsor House PAC wrote to the NVSD Trustees and Superintendent on March 17, offering to meet with the LGCA Board of Directors. As the Lucas Centre was deemed appropriate for Windsor House students for five years, and the LGCA seems only to need one year, perhaps the same location could serve as a temporary location (and generate NVSD revenue) for the LGCA (perhaps with portables) when it becomes available in September 2009. The Windsor House PAC executive was willing to offer a tour of the Lucas Centre to the LGCA Board and further discuss this option with the NVSD. To date, we have not received a reply to this offer.
I trust this helps to clarify questions or concerns about the process by which the decision was made to relocate the Windsor House Program to the Maplewood Site in September 2009.
Sincerely,
Steve Galliford
Co-chair, Windsor House Parent Advisory Council
(604) 985-6010
April 5, 2009
North Vancouver BC
