Designation of Schools

Designation of Schools

Under the denominational system of education, schools were designated as:

- Integrated (Anglican, Presbyterian, Salvation Army or United Church)
- Pentecostal
- Roman Catholic or
- Seventh-day Adventist

Some schools were operated by two of the groups listed above. These were referred to as joint-service schools.

Interdenominational Schools

Under the new interdenominational structure, beginning with the 1997/98 school year, schools will be designated "interdenominational" unless parents of a sufficient number of students express the desire to have their children attend a "uni-denominational" school.

Uni-denominational Schools

Uni-denominational schools will be schools which are operated specifically for one of the four groups listed above (i.e., uni-denominational Integrated, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic or Seventh-day Adventist). These schools will be administered by the School Board with the appropriate denominational committee having responsibility for directing:

- student admission policy;
- the assignment and dismissal of teachers;
- religious education including teacher assignment for religious education;
- pastoral care and religious activities and observances;
- the philosophy and ambience of the school;
- teaching of curriculum affecting religious beliefs; and
- the use of the school outside of school hours where this does not interfere with the regular conduct of the school.

How will School Boards designate schools?

Parents of children who will attend school in the 1997/98 school year and who wish to have their children attend uni-denominational schools will be given the opportunity to advise the School Board of that preference. If the parents of a sufficient number of students indicate that they wish their children to attend a uni-denominational school, the School Board will be required to establish such a school, provided the following conditions are met:

- the uni-denominational school meets the criteria for a viable school, and
- the creation of the uni-denominational school does not cause another school to become non-viable.

Before deciding on a process which parents will use to express their desire to have their children attend a uni-denominational school we must consider the placement of schools throughout the Province. Schools generally fall within the following three categories:

1. A single school in a community serving only the students in that community or a school which serves students in several surrounding communities.
2. Several schools within an area which serve the students in several communities within that area.
3. Several schools within a community which serve the students in specific parts or zones within that community.

The process of determining the designation of a school may be different for each of the three circumstances listed above.

1. Single school in a community or a school which serves students in several comm-unities.

In areas of the Province where there is only one school serving the students in that community or where the school serves several surrounding communities, the parents of all children eligible to attend that school would be given the opportunity to register their preference. If the parents of a sufficient number of students wish the school to be designated uni-denominational, the School Board would designate it as such.

In such cases, the parents of a required minimum percentage of students would indicate a preference that their children attend a uni-denominational school, before the School Board would be required to designate the school uni-denominational. The minimum percentage could be 50% + 1, 75%, 90% or some other alternative.

2. Several schools within an area which serve the students in several communities within that area.

An example of this situation would be an area that is currently served by schools of different denominations. In areas of the Province where there are several schools in an area which serve the students in several communities, the parents of all children living in these communities would be given the opportunity to register their preference.

We suggest that parents would register the names and grade levels of all the children they wish to attend a uni-denominational school and the denomination of that school. Following the compilation of the results, the School Board would make a determination as to whether sufficient children have been registered to attend a uni-denominational school of a specific denomination. If it is determined that the parents of a sufficient number of students wish to have the school designated uni-denominational, then the School Board would decide which of the schools in the area would receive that designation.

In making this decision, the School Board would first determine that the uni-denominational school would be viable and that by designating a school uni-denominational, the School Board would not cause another school to become non-viable.

The School Board would establish attendance zones for each of the interdenominational schools in the district so that students would be assigned, where possible, to the school nearest their home.

The attendance policy for the uni-denominational school would be established by the denominational committee of the School Board for that denomination. Students who live near a uni-denominational school may attend that school in accordance with the admission policy of the uni-denominational committee of the School Board and if space permits.

3. Several schools within a community which serve the students in specific parts or zones within that community.

In this case, the School Board would either be expected to give all the parents in the community the opportunity to express their preference or the board would divide the community into regions and give all the parents in each region the opportunity to express their preferences for schools in that region.

During this process, the parents would register the names and grade levels of all the children they wish to attend a uni-denominational school and the denomination of that school. Following the compilation of the results, the School Board would make a determination as to whether sufficient children have been registered to attend a uni-denominational school of a specific denomination and, if so, would decide which of the schools in the area would be designated uni-denominational.

The School Board would establish attendance zones for each of the interdenominational schools in the district so that students would be assigned, where possible, to the school nearest their home.

The attendance policy for the uni-denominational school would be as outlined in category number 2 above.