Winnipeg School Division will survey parents about potential school swap

Parents at Earl Grey School voiced their concerns to school board trustees on Wednesday night.

Parents will have their say about a potential school swap in Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg School Division plans to gather feedback from all affected parents through surveys and town hall meetings.

Ecole La Verendrye has been bursting at the seams since 2010.

The WSD is considering sending students at Ecole La Verendrye to Earl Grey School, a much larger space.

That would mean Earl Grey students would be sent to La Verendrye.

“For La Verendrye because the overcrowding is at a critical level, something has to be done for that school and that school alone in September. Whether other schools are affected for this upcoming September, that’s yet to be determined,” said Mark Wasyliw, chair of the WSD.

But parents at Earl Grey say specialized programming within their school, including a large daycare, would be difficult to move.

Earl Grey parents hosted a meeting on Wednesday night to discuss their concerns with school board trustees.

“That mistrust between the committee and the trustees has been alleviated and I think now we have more of an open communication,” said Earl Grey parent Kathy Heppner.

Heppner, and other parents, say they sympathize with parents at La Verendrye.

They understand a permanent solution is needed, but don’t think switching students between Earl Grey and La Verendrye is the answer.

Earl Grey parent Myra Tait said the school swap is a temporary solution to the bigger problem of growing enrolment in French schools.

“Expanding the number of milieu schools that are available, that’s an important consideration. Because why shouldn’t parents have schools that they can send their kids to for that milieu French education,” said Tait.

The WSD is also considering sending students from La Verendrye to Sir William Osler School or Ecole Robert H. Smith.

It plans to send surveys to parents of all four affected schools, and plans to make a decision by May.