Oxford North Elementary Panel Attendance Area Review

Thames Valley District School Board is exploring potential changes to the following school attendance areas: Zorra Highland Park PS, Hickson Central PS, Innerkip Central PS, Blenheim District PS, Central PS, Northdale PS and Eastdale PS.

Planning & Priorities Advisory Committee Meeting Presentation

The Oxford North Elementary Panel Attendance Area Review initial report was first presented at the Planning and Priorities Advisory Committee (PAPA) meeting on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Please see below for details.

Documents

Presentation Video


Additional Details

About the Review

The Oxford North Elementary Panel Attendance Area Review (ONAAR) initial report was first presented at the Planning and Priorities Advisory Committee (PAPA) meeting on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. 

On April 25, 2023, Thames Valley District School Board Trustees supported plans to seek public feedback on ONAAR.

The report includes options for balancing enrolment at elementary schools located in north Woodstock, Innerkip, Blenheim and Zorra Township.

Options included in the report would only take effect following public consultation, Trustee approvals and the opening of the new public school in North Woodstock.

“One of the goals of the review is to establish an attendance area for the approved new school in north Woodstock,” said Ben Puzanov, Manager of Planning for TVDSB, “This review will not only allow TVDSB to address future residential growth, but also to accommodate students closer to where they live.”

Next steps will involve forming an Attendance Area Review Committee (AARC) as well as school level sub-committees with parent/guardian representatives from each affected elementary school. The sub-committees will hold meetings with their school communities to gather public feedback regarding the options under consideration. 

School-level subcommittee meetings for ONAAR will not begin until September 2023. Feedback will be consolidated into a report for Trustee consideration later next school year.

“I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the parents and caregivers that volunteer their time to gather and give feedback about potential attendance area changes like this,” said Chair of the Board, Lori-Ann Pizzolato, “I look forward to hearing from communities in north Oxford so we can strengthen the options under consideration.”

More details about ONAAR are available at www.tvdsb.ca/onaar. Thames Valley invites community members to submit any comments and questions about the review through this website, where responses will also be posted. Members of the public may also subscribe to the website for updates. 
Review Objectives
  • To create an attendance area boundary for the new North Woodstock PS
  • Balance enrolment across North Oxford so that schools can be well-utilized
  • Ensure the long-term viability of all schools in the area
Proposed Changes and Maps

Below is a summary of proposed changes. For a full descriptions and rationales, please see the Oxford North AAR Initial Report.

 Zorra Highland Park PS
  • No boundary adjustments are proposed for Zorra Highland Park PS, but it is included in this review as students attending the school will be moved as part of proposed boundary adjustments involving the north Woodstock holding zones and Hickson Central PS.
  • Zorra Highland Park PS became the new holding school for the north Woodstock holding zones at the start of the 2022-2023 school year due to capacity issues at Central PS. It will also become the interim accommodation school for new registrations within the Woodstock portion of the Hickson Central PS attendance area commencing in the 2023-2024 school year.
Hickson Central PS – Option 1
  • Portion of the attendance area within the north part of the City of Woodstock bound by Oxford Road 17 to the north, Thames River/Pittock Lake to the south, and Vansittart Avenue to the west re-designated to the new north Woodstock elementary school
  • Additional portion of the attendance area in Woodstock bound by 11th Line to the west, Golfview Drive to the north, and the Thames River to the east designated to Central PS
  • Portion of the existing attendance area in the northwestern quadrant of the City of Woodstock retained at Hickson Central PS
  • North portion of the Innerkip Central PS attendance area, north of Township Road 9 designated to Hickson Central PS.

Map

Hickson Central PS – Option 2
  • Same changes as proposed for Option 1 are included in Option 2; however, the portion of the existing attendance area in the northwestern quadrant of the City of Woodstock becomes part of the attendance area for the new north Woodstock elementary school
  • Option 2 is only recommended if this scope change request for the new north Woodstock elementary school is approved by the Ministry of Education 

Map
Innerkip Central PS & Blenheim District PS
  •  North portion of the attendance area, north of Township Road 9 designated to Hickson Central PS
  • Southeastern corner of the attendance area, south of Highway 401 designated to Blenheim District PS
  • Portion along the western boundary, immediately north of the Thames River within the City of Woodstock designated to the new north Woodstock elementary school 

Innerkip Central PS map

Blenheim District PS map
Northdale PS
  • Northdale PS is currently above capacity at 120% but utilization is projected to decline to 108% by 2026 and 102% by 2031. It is included in this review to adjust a portion of the southern boundary that borders the Central PS boundary. The attendance area here is irregularly shaped and does not follow a road.
  • To create a more natural border between Northdale PS and Central PS, it is proposed that the boundary be adjusted to the north to follow Canterbury Street, Riddell Street, and Drew Street. This would move a small number of students from Northdale PS to Central PS, which is more proximal.
  • As a result of the proposed changes, Northdale PS would decrease from 108% to 107% in 2026 and from 102% to 101% in 2031.

Map
 Central PS – Option 1
  • Re-designate a portion of the Hickson Central PS attendance area in the northwestern quadrant of the City of Woodstock bound by 11th Line to the west, Golfview Drive to the north, and the Thames River to the east, to Central PS
  • Designate Woodstock holding zone to Central PS
  • Designate students currently attending Central PS from the two eastern north Woodstock holding zones to the new north Woodstock elementary school.

Map

Central PS – Option 2
  • Same changes as proposed for Central PS Option 1
  • Addition of the satellite attendance area that is currently designated to Eastdale PS 

Map
New North Woodstock PS – Option 1
  •  Option related to Option 1 for Hickson Central PS, the option for Innerkip Central PS, and the options
  • for Central PS
  • New attendance area boundary would incorporate a portion of the Hickson Central PS attendance area in north Woodstock bound by Oxford Road 17 to the north, Vansittart Avenue to the west, and the Thames River/Pittock Lake to the south
  • A portion of the Innerkip attendance area immediately to the east would also be incorporated as would the two eastern north Woodstock holding zones.
  • This is the smaller of the two proposed options and would only be recommended if a scope change request for the New North Woodstock PS is not approved by the Ministry

Map

New North Woodstock PS – Option 2
  • Include the same areas as Option 1, but the portion currently designated to the Hickson Central PS attendance area would be extended to 11th Line to the west
  • This would result in a larger attendance area and therefore a higher projected enrolment.
  • This option would allow more students in north Woodstock to attend a local school and would result in a lower utilization at Hickson Central PS
  • Only recommended if the scope change request is approved by the Ministry

Map

 
Process and Timeline

Proposed changes would only take effect following Trustee approvals, public consultation, and the opening of a new public school in North Woodstock.

  • April 25, 2023: Presentation to Trustees for approval to proceed at Board Meeting
  • April 2023: Establish website to solicit feedback and answer questions regarding the boundary options under consideration
  • September 2023: Establish Attendance Area Review Committee (AARC)
  • October 2023: Host virtual AARC meeting
  • October 2023 – December 2023: Coordinate school-level AARC Subcommittee meetings
  • December 2023 – January 2024: Review school community feedback and prepare Final Attendance Area Review Report
  • February 2024: Present Final Attendance Area Review Report to the Board of Trustees
  • February 2024: Public Delegations meeting
  • March 2024: Decision of the Board of Trustees
  • Implementation date to be determined: Dependent on opening of new North Woodstock PS 
How to Participate

The Thames Valley District School Board encourages all community members interested in attendance area reviews to participate in school level sub-committee meetings listed on School-Related News webpages. 

Community members may also register to participate in Public Delegations when the dates are announced.
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