Ministry of Education News Release - 2004-10-05 at 18:16
Ministry of Education
McGuinty Government reduces fees, opens schools to community
Students Benefiting From Smaller Classes, More Teachers, Too
WINDSOR, ON, Oct. 4 /CNW/ - Windsor's schools are reducing fees for community groups, thanks to a special agreement signed by the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board and the McGuinty government, Minister of Education Gerard Kennedy said today.
"Windsor's schools should be community hubs where people can gather to learn, participate in community-based activities and stay active," said Kennedy. "Today, the McGuinty government and the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board are making that happen."
Kennedy was joined by Essex MPP Bruce Crozier, Windsor-St. Clair MPP Dwight Duncan and Windsor West MPP Sandra Pupatello at H.J. Lassaline Catholic School in Windsor. The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board is the first area board to sign a Community Recreation and Use Agreement to assist in making school facilities more accessible to not-for-profit community groups at reduced rates.
Improvements effective immediately at the board's schools include:
-Gym rentals for community not-for-profit groups are reduced by more than 90 per cent from a range of $75
-$120 to $5 for one to four uses a month.
-Classroom rentals to not-for-profits are reduced 58 per cent from $12 an hour to $5 an hour.
-Cafeteria rentals to not-for-profit groups are reduced 50 per cent from $90 to $45 per use.
-The minimum custodian fee of $72.50 for Monday to Saturday use or $96.65 for Sunday use that had been charged on weekends and at some schools on weekdays, is eliminated for all community not-for-profit groups.
-Facilities will be made available to community not-for-profit groups for an additional 4,000 hours a year, including during the summer.
In July, the Ontario government announced $20 million to help boards open their schools to their communities. As part of that initiative, the Windsor- Essex Catholic District School Board, representing 52 schools, has signed a Community Recreation and Use Agreement and will receive $232,561 to help make school facilities more accessible to not-for-profit groups at reduced rates.
"Opening the doors to our schools is making our communities better places to live, where people are able to be active, healthy and more connected regardless of their financial circumstances," said Recreation Minister Jim Bradley.
In May, the McGuinty government also announced $90 million to begin phasing-in a cap of 20 students per class in junior kindergarten to Grade 3 starting with the largest classes. Students across the province have already begun seeing the result of this investment, with more than 1,100 teachers hired for the new school year. The Greater Essex County District School Board received $1,782,176 and hired 24.5 teachers. The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board received $1,211,800 and hired 18 teachers.
Kennedy visited a class of 19 Grade 2 students at H.J. Lassaline Catholic School. The class would have had 28 students had it not been for the class size reduction funding. The school added two more primary teachers this fall to prevent split grade classes and ensure that young students benefit from smaller classes.
"Smaller classes, more teachers and better access to our schools for community groups are just a few of the ways Windsor's schools are better this fall," said Kennedy. "I hope parents will visit their children's schools to see the positive changes underway."
