Public Consultation Required: School Infrastructure for Stratford and Area Students
Posted on 09/04/2018

The Town and our residents have been engaged with the Public Schools Branch on additional school infrastructure requirements in the Charlottetown area. Our residents have been very engaged throughout this process and have attended many meetings and consultations during this process. Thank you very much for your participation to this point but we are not done yet.

On Wednesday, August 29th the Public Schools Branch (PSB) presented their Charlottetown Family of Schools Study Report at the PSB Board of Directors meeting to address school infrastructure needs for Charlottetown area schools. The report included a number of options including one (Secondary Schools -Option 2) where a new school would be built in Stratford for grade 7-12 students from the greater Stratford area. This is an excellent option which would address many overcrowding issues in Charlottetown area schools. But this is only one of many options presented. The PSB Board of Directors will select the option(s) which they support and will be recommending to the PEI Department of Education at a Public Board Meeting on Thursday, September 13th. Before their decision is made, there is a short period of public consultation now open.

August 29th PSB presentation can be found here. https://edu.princeedwardisland.ca/psb/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/CharlottetownFamilyofSchoolsStudyReport20172018Presentation.pdf

The full PSB Study Report can be found here: https://edu.princeedwardisland.ca/psb/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/PublicSchoolsBranchCharlottetownFamilyofSchoolsStudy_1.pdf

The next step in the PSB process is to have a public consultation. There are a number of ways that YOU can participate in their consultation process.

  1. Online Input -There is an online survey that runs from August 30 to September 7. You may complete a survey on the options and provide comments at https://edu.princeedwardisland.ca/psb/
  2. Secondary Schools Consultation -Wednesday, September 5, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Charlottetown Rural High School Cafeteria. Stations will be set up where you can review each of the options for intermediate and high schools, in person with the Board of Directors and representatives of the Public Schools Branch. You may also vote on the options and record your comments at each station.
  3. Written Submissions -You may send written comments directly to the Board of Directors by September 6 to [email protected] or mail them to 2-234 Shakespeare Drive, Stratford, PE, C1B 2V8. Individuals or small groups who wish to make a short presentation directly to the Board of Directors may do so on the afternoon or evening of September 10 by contacting the Public Schools Branch at (902) 368-6850 to reserve a time.

All residents are encouraged to please complete the online survey supporting a new grade 7-12 school in Stratford. In the survey, this is question #5, "Secondary School Option 2". Please click on "Support" for this question but because we are supporting a new grade 7-12 school in Stratford, for question #6 you must click "Do not Support".

We are also encouraging you to attend the Secondary School Consultation at Charlottetown Rural on Wednesday, September 5th between 7 and 8:30 pm. Please attend this open house to show your support for a new grade 7-12 school in Stratford!

You can also provide a written submission by September 6th to indicate your support for a new grade 7-12 school in Stratford.

Some of the benefits of a new grade 7-12 school in Stratford are as follows:

  • Solves overcrowding in Charlottetown area schools
  • Our children go to a school in their own community
  • Children in neighbouring communities from Fort Augustus to Cherry Valley/Earnscliffe will go to a school much closer to their home
  • Shorter bus rides to and from school
  • Less traffic on the Hillsborough Bridge/less greenhouse gas emissions
  • Some students can walk/bike to school
  • Additional school opportunities in a smaller school setting such as sports, band, etc.
  • Additional facility in Stratford for use by the community -Meetings, activities, events, etc.
  • Collaboration between Town and School on sports fields and use of school.

We have an excellent opportunity to support the children in our community, and you can help. Please lend your voice in any way that you can. It will be appreciated. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Town of Stratford

Previous media release and information available here.