THUNDER BAY – It’s the end of the line for students attending Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute.
Thrown one last life-line when the school’s pending closure was pushed back a year, the doors will shut for good when classes end next June.
Sherri-Lynne Pharand, superintendent of education for Lakehead Public Schools, said Churchill staff and students have been busy looking for ways to celebrate the school’s storied history, as they prepare to amalgamate next fall with Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute.
“We do have a transition committee made up of parents, students and staff from both Westgate and Churchill,” Pharand said.
“They have, since last spring, been planning activities to make the last year at Churchill special, but also to really work together to build a community between the two schools. Throughout the course of the year, students will be getting together and parents will be getting together.”
One of the first moves will be to create a new parents’ council.
The closure was announced as part of an ambitious south-side renewal project that will also include the closure of Agnew H. Johnston and Edgewater Park Public School.
A new elementary school is planned for the Churchill site, while renovations at Kingsway Park Public School will allow students from Hyde Park Public School to move up the street to consolidated classrooms at Kingsway.
The latter project is expected to be completed soon.
“Students will move into their new facility in the fall,” she said.
“We’re also putting a new addition onto Westgate with a cafeteria, as well as some renovation inside of the new space, in order to welcome all students from both Westgate and Churchill. In addition to that, over the next year or so you will see a new elementary build on the south side of the city.”
In addition to new construction, new programming has been introduced at several local schools. Nor’Wester View Public School and Valley Central School are implementing the successful hands-on academy programming. The former will take the science, engineering and technology route, also focusing on sports, outdoor education and global citizenship.
Grade 7 and 8 students at Valley Central will be exposed to academy programs that will explore nature and the built environment as well as fine arts.
“It’s really important for kids to learn not only from books and materials, but to get out and experience, in a hands-on way, their learning. It connects with community and it connects with future employment opportunities in those areas,” Pharand said.
“As well they learn about the jobs available in those fields as well.”
The board will also welcome 17 international students this fall, seven more than they were targeting.
Classes begin on Wednesday.
