In the News

Board votes to keep alternative school program, Matthew Pearson, The Ottawa Citizen, February 24, 2010

"Although it may have seemed the program was facing its demise, trustees passed a number of amendments that suggest considerable support for alternative schools.

The board will promote the increased use of multi-aged groupings in elementary school classrooms and identify the best practices used in alternative schools that could be applied in regular elementary schools."

Full line-up of recent stories:

1. Board votes to keep alternative school program, Matthew Pearson, The Ottawa Citizen, February 24, 2010

   "Although it may have seemed the program was facing its demise, trustees passed a number of amendments that suggest considerable support for alternative schools.

   The board will promote the increased use of multi-aged groupings in elementary school classrooms and identify the best practices used in alternative schools that could be applied in regular elementary schools."

2. 5 Ottawa alternative schools saved, CBC News, February 24, 2010

   But board trustee Pam Fitzgerald said the personal letters she's been receiving about the issue moved her.

   "What I found is in reading back the letters, thinking about it...our alternative schools are, in fact, our ultimate inclusionary schools," she said.

3. Board tries again to reach decision on alternative schools issue, Matthew Pearson, The Ottawa Citizen, February 22, 2010
   Richard Deadman, the chair of the board's alternative-schools advisory committee, said trustees should support the program as it is and strike a subcommittee to explore its role within the board and how it should be structured to fulfill that role.
   

4. Lady Evelyn Alternative Schools: at a crossroads, Monique Cuillerier with files from Joseph Zebrowski, The Mainstreeter, February 2010

5. Small victory for elementary alternative parents, Rosalyn Stevens, EMC, February 19, 2010

   Some parents said there was a small victory, however, as trustees struck down two motions to reintroduce recommendations the committee had already dropped.

   "These were the two that were the most threat in terms of the opportunity for expansion of the program," said Churchill Alternative parent Sheri Zelle. "There's still potential, there's future (for the program now)."

6. <Alternative Schools Article>, Tanis Dennis, Glebe Report, February 15, 2010
   Make no mistake, alternative families are not asking to change the cultures in the regular stream schools.   We accept the fact that many families prefer a competitive culture and are more comfortable leaving the teaching to the classroom teachers.   What we are asking, though, is that Ottawa families continue to be given the choice to enroll our children in school where emphasis is placed on what a child can do, not on what s/he can’t.   Lets hope alternative education can survive.

7. Q&A with alternative schools guru Alfie Kohn, Matthew Pearson, The Ottawa Citizen, February 12, 2010
   

   The Citizen: If you were speaking to school-board trustees about the decision they face, what would your message be?

   Kohn: The remarkable benefits of a focused, progressive approach to teaching and learning is likely to die on the vine if there are no schools permitted to pursue that vision. I fear the people who say, “Let’s just stir these alternative ideas into the mix for all the schools.” That’s what I would say if my real agenda was to smother alternative education.
   

8. GCA asks OCDSB to keep Lady Evelyn alternative program, Desmond Devoy, EMC, February 12, 2010

   The Glebe Community Association (GCA) has endorsed sending a letter asking the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) to continue on the alternative education program at the Lady Evelyn school, 63 Evelyn Avenue in Old Ottawa East.

   "Our committee feels really strongly about choice in education...the concept of choice is an important one to get behind," said Christine McAllister, head of the GCA's newly formed education committee, during her first-ever education report to the GCA board during their monthly meeting at the Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Avenue on the evening of Tuesday, January 26. "A lot of Glebe kids go to Lady Evelyn," and a member of Lady Evelyn's parent council now sits on the GCA's education committee.

9. Board again tackles alternative school issue, Matthew Pearson, The Ottawa Citizen, February 10, 2010

10. Reprieve for alternative schools, Doug Hempstead, Ottawa Sun, February 10, 2010
    

11. Committee votes to keep most alternative schools programs, Zev Singer, The Ottawa Citizen, February 2, 2010
    A committee of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board voted late Monday night to close the alternative program at Manor Park Public School.

    Yet, if the committee's decisions hold up at a meeting of the full board next week, the other five alternative programs will not lose their alternative designation.

12. Students, parents gird against closure of school, CTV News, February 2, 2010

13. Proposed Changes to hurt schools, Randall Denley, The Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 2010
    What it really means is that the board is aiming to make all its schools as similar as possible, a throwback to the bland suburban schools that were offered by the Carleton school board more than a decade ago. The unusual and innovative schools, mostly the work of the former Ottawa board, will slowly be choked off.
    

    • Education is about more than choice, Cathy Curry, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, January 28, 2010.

      • Tough Luck? Then move, Chris Kelly, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, February 2, 2010

14. Committee delays decision on future of alternative schools, Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 2010
    

15. CBC Ottawa Morning: Interview with Richard Deadman, Kathleen Petty, CBC Radio, January 20, 2010

16. Parents rally to save alternative schools, Aedan Helmer, Ottawa Sun, January 20, 2010
    “It’s that intrinsic drive from within instead of chasing marks, and I see that as the real value, because it’s a lifelong skill that will set them on a great road,” he said.
    

17. School board delays decision on alternative schools, Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen, January 20, 2010

18. All in a Day, Interview with former Alternative Students Rachel Irving-Beer and David Beckett-Padbury, January 19th, 2010.

19. Parents defend right to alternative schools, Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen, January 18, 2010

    It was radical stuff at the time, but the alternative schools family eventually grew to six schools and 1,200 students and its founding philosophy proved to be prescient.

    ...
    

    Alternative parents don’t see it that way. There’s no plan in place to allow the model to propagate, they say. For the alternative model to work, it needs to be integrated as a whole, and not dismantled and sold in bits and pieces, like a stolen car taken apart in a chop shop. And the entire school community has to buy in wholeheartedly.

    “Real meaningful involvement bubbles from the ground up,” says Monique Cuillerier, who has two children at Lady Evelyn.

20. Ottawa Morning, Kathleen Petty, CBC Radio, January 13, 2010

    Interview with parent Sheri Zelle of Churchill Alternative School:

    "The report did what it set out to do. It documented a decision that was made last June."

21. Ottawa alternative schools program should end: report, Chad Pawson / Rebecca Zandbergen, CBC Radio, January 12, 2010

    "Richard Deadman, chair of the board's alternative schools advisory committee, said many parents felt the data that the board collected "seemed to point in the exact opposite direction" and are shocked by the recommendation."

22. 6 Special Ottawa schools on block, Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen, January 12, 2010
    '“They don’t say ‘shut down.’ But they will be shut down. Not with a bang, but a whimper,” said Richard Deadman, the chairman of the Alternative School Advisory Committee and the parent of four children who are or have been students in alternative schools.

    ...
    

    Although only a handful of trustees have an alternative school in their zone, this could be one of those issues that crosses boundaries, said trustee Campbell, who has one alternative school, Lady Evelyn, in his Rideau-Vanier/Capital zone.

    “Some trustees believe strongly in choice. It’s a philosophical thing,” he said.'

23. Big on silence, short on goals; Board’s top educator must act, Randall Denley, The Ottawa Citizen, December 22nd, 2009
    "The Ottawa board’s decision to review transfer policies while questioning gifted and alternative school programs has caused parents who favour school choice to wonder if the board is trying to stifle that choice."

24. Ottawa's alternative learning programs at risk, John Hua, CTV Ottawa News at 6, December 11, 2010
    'The chairman of Ottawa's alternative school advisory committee says the school board needs to realize that phasing out alternative teaching will hurt students. He says every child's way of learning is different and the regular school system isn't necessarily the best option for everyone.

    "That doesn't really work for a top-down bureaucracy that wants a one size fits all model that assumes kids are all the same and plugged in like little pieces of a jig-saw puzzle," said Richard Deadman.'

25. All In a Day, Chad Pawson, CBC Radio, December 2, 2009
    Response to appointment of Cathy Curry as new board chair. Ended with quote that we are looking forward to working with the new chair, and that when you ask for a performance review you don't expect the first question to be "should you be fired?"

    MP3 not yet available.

26. Report on alternative schools raises questions: Nothing said about closing six facilities, but official wary of release of more detailed review in January, Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen, December 2, 2009
    "Notably absent in the interim report are figures that compare the per-pupil cost of delivering alternative schools to delivering the regular program, said Richard Deadman, chairman of the Alternative Schools Advisory Committee and the father of four children who have attended alternative schools.

    While board officials have said the cost differences are not significant, Deadman says it’s hard to say how differences in cost will be treated this year as the board heads into a very tight budget.

    ...
    
    When the Ottawa and Carleton boards amalgamated a decade ago, there was some speculation that alternative schools would be opened in the suburbs. That hasn’t happened, and it has led parents to fear that the program has little support from the school board."

27. Parents fight for choice in alternative program review, Natalie Stevens, Ottawa West EMC, November 27th, 2009.
    "Many parents said they would move their children from the OCDSB into private or Montessori schooling, to continue providing alternative environments for learning should be program be cancelled. Ms. Zelle noted, however, many parents have already done the reverse, bringing children from outside of the board into the alternative program. If the school board could continue that trend, with a little promotion of the program, the results would benefit the financial health of the board and, as a result, the educational environment for all students."
28. Tough alternatives for schools, Joanne Lauacius, C3, The Ottawa Citizen, November 19, 2009.

    "Choices are made for different reasons for different children," she said. "Parents want an educational environment where their children can be happy and flourish."

29. Midday, CKCU, 12:30, November 18, 2009. Interview asking how different the Alternative Program is from the regular schools.

30. Ottawa alternative schools under review, Rebecca Zandbergen, CBC Radio One, November 17, 2009.

    When the podcast is available, it will be made available here...

31. Ways of Learning, Opinion, The Ottawa Citizen, November 12, 2009.

    "What is clear, however, is that if every children is to reach his or her potential, there must be a variety of educational approaches. So-called "alternative" schools, as currently constituted, may in the end not be the best instruments for the task, but school boards must never forget that not all students learn in the same way."

32. Troops rally to save threatened schools, Joanne Lauacius, C1, The Ottawa Citizen, November 10, 2009.

    Deadman is concerned about the parameters of the review, which is to look at the effectiveness of the program, as well as determine whether to continue to offer it.

    “It’s possible there’s an agenda at play, and they’re just going through the motions,” he said. “We felt for a number of years that the program hasn’t been supported. Every time we want to do something innovative, we get shut down.”

    Ending the program would reduce choice in the public school system, Deadman said.

33. CBC Radio One, Monday October 26th 2009, 7:45.

    Shere Zelle and Terrena talked about the impact the program has had on some students, the difference with regular English programs, the bias and short timelines of the review, our data that show that the board would lose a significant number of students if the program was canceled and the need for choice. The link allows you to download a podcast (MP3 file) of the interview. Thanks Anders Nordstrom for making it available.

34. Saving the Lady: Lady Evelyn among Schools Rallying to Save Alternative Program, Tanis Dennis, Ottawa Life, Thursday, 22 October 2009.

    "The threat of closure comes at a time when more Ontario families are demanding choice in primary education and despite clear evidence that parents are dedicated to the program and students leave the alternative stream well-equipped to tackle high school."

Letters to the Editor

1. We hope trustees get the point, Michael Barnes, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, January 23rd, 2010
   That's not surprising as this report reminds me of the saying, "I've made up my mind, don't confuse me with the facts." Trust us!
    
2. I hope trustees' delay signals alternative schools here to stay, Cheryl Brouse, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, January 21st, 2010
3. Shutting down alternative model makes no sense, Rory Magill, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, January 18th, 2010

   Shutting down the very programs that inspired some innovative "best practices" for all schools would suggest there is no further need for innovation.

4. Eliminates choice, Christine Kelly, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, January 18th, 2010

   What is clear about the OCDSB's review of the alternative program, (and the new cross-boundary transfer policy) is that the board appears to want to eliminate program choice by striving to make every school the same. Is it because in their view all children learn in the same way and require the same education?

5. Alternative schooling motivates children from within, Jenepher Lennox Terrion, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, November 28, 2009.

   "My conclusion is that those who somehow developed a love of learning, the confidence to ask questions, and the self efficacy to change their mental models when confronted with new ideas are the ones who are truly engaged in higher education."

6. Alternative schools better approach than boys-only classes, Sara Purdon, Letters to the Editor, The Ottawa Citizen, October 31, 2009.

   "To remove these progressive programs from the Ottawa school board would be to limit parents' choices around their children's schooling. I feel that we need to be much more progressive in our teaching methods and that exploring alternative education practices can only enhance our children's path towards becoming lifelong learners. The Alternative Program is not for all students but for some, it is a wonderful choice."

Choice

1. Board wants to restrict school transfers, Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen, November 16, 2009.
2. Rideau pays price for board's neglect, Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen, October 16, 2009.

   "The Ottawa public school board's proposal to close Rideau High School is typical of the unimaginative central planning that has characterized this board since its inception. Worse, it is a stealthy move in the board's long campaign to stamp out school choice in Ottawa."

In the Blogs

1. Kindergarten, Capital Mom, February 1, 2010
2. Ship of Fools, Or: "The Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB): Like Ottawa City Hall, Only Less Interesting.", Karen Irving, Knit Geekery, November 18, 2009.
3. Act TODAY to save alternative schools, Miss Vicky, Miss Vicky's Offhand Remarks, October 14, 2009.
4. Act today to save alternative education in Ottawa, Yaktivision, A peek inside the fishbowl, October 14, 2009.