woodlands · 2015. 10. 15. · than 745 empty seats in these four schools combined (see table 5,...

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WOODLANDS

SECONDARY Public Consultation Information Evening Tuesday, October 20, 2015: 7 to 9 p.m.

Submitted by John Blain, Superintendent/CEO

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary 3

Facility 4

Enrolment, Utilization and Capacity 19

Financial/Operations 23

Policy Criteria Assessment 25

Closing Comments and Recommendation 27

Appendices 29

Appendix A – Facility Information: 2014 Capacity Utilization Order

Appendix B – Instruction and Learning Efficiencies with Amalgamation

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Summary

The closure of Woodlands Secondary School would reduce the overall secondary capacity by 700 seats, reducing annual operating costs and future capital expenses. The closure of Woodlands would require the movement of students to both Wellington Secondary and Nanaimo District Secondary (NDSS).

In the central Nanaimo secondary school zone, including John Barsby Community School, there was more than 745 empty seats in these four schools combined (See Table 5, Page 19). There is great need for asset consolidation and renewal in this zone.

Woodlands Secondary School has a capacity utilization of 85 percent (see Table 5, Page 19) creating inefficiencies in staffing, class compositions, and difficulty in allocating staff for student support. The Woodland’s catchment also contains a high volume of students who attend other Nanaimo secondary schools. The consolidation of Woodlands into Wellington and NDSS will allow for enhanced programming, greater classroom efficiencies and greater support for students.

Because Woodlands is located in the middle of Wellington and NDSS geographically, catchment areas could be redrawn in such a way as to ensure the least disruption possible for students who reside in that area, while meeting the Ministry of Education’s target of 105-110 percent capacity utilization. Increasing capacity utilization at John Barsby is also imperative to support the application to rebuild at NDSS.

The relocation of Woodlands students to NDSS necessitates a review of central Nanaimo secondary school’s district programs to create equal student distribution. Most of these programs currently occupy NDSS and a number of these programs could be relocated to John Barsby, serving the dual purpose of creating space for Woodlands students at NDSS, as well as filling excess capacity at John Barsby. To accommodate this and to maximize capacity utilization in the central Nanaimo secondary schools, approximately 300 district program students could be moved to John Barsby Community School from NDSS.

While the Enhanced Facilities for Learning Plan identified the closure of Woodlands for June 2017, moving up the closure date to June 2016 would be beneficial as cost savings being realized one year earlier.

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FACILITY

Site Information

Address 1270 STRATHMORE STREET, NANAIMO, BC

Folio 85023.000

PID 005-574-927

Plan 8604

Size 6 ACRES

Legal Description LOT A, SECTION 1, NANAIMO DISTRICT, PLAN 8604, LAND DISTRICT 32

Zone CS1

COMMUNITY SERVICE ONE

Location 49.18895,-123.9711

Legal Information from the City of Nanaimo www.nanaimo.ca

Facility and Operations

School Size (gross floor area): 9009 m2

Age of Facility: See Figure 3 – Total Building Area, Page 8

Figure 1. Aerial View of Woodlands Secondary Area

http://www.nanaimo.ca/

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Figure 2. Woodlands Floor Plan

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Figure 3. Woodlands Total Building Area

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Figure 4. Wellington Floor Plan

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Figure 5. Nanaimo District Secondary Floor Plan

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Migration of Woodlands Students

Graph 1. Where Woodlands Students Come From

Source: Baragar Geoschool, Sep. 2014 ; BC Ministry of Education1701 Data Collection

This includes 142 academy students and 36 international students.

85 hockey academy (14 out-of-catchment)

23 soccer academy (3 out-of-catchment)

34 beach volleyball academy (1 out-of-catchment)

Graph 2. Where Woodlands Catchment Residents Attend School

Source: Baragar Geoschool, Sep. 2014 ; BC Ministry of Education1701 Data Collection

344 83

54 34

29 7

Where Woodlands Students Come From (In Migration= 207)

Woodlands Wellington NDSS John Barsby Dover Bay LSS

344

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39 16 11

Where Woodlands Catchment Residents Attend School

(Outward Migration=108)

Woodlands Sec. Nanaimo District Sec. Wellington Sec.

John Barsby Sec. Dover Bay Sec.

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Figure 7. Current Catchment Areas

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Figure 8. Proposed Catchment Changes

Wellington Secondary Catchment

Nanaimo District Secondary (NDSS) Catchment

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Seismic Risk: See Tables 1 and 2 below – Seismic Structural Risk Ratings by Block (updated January 2015) and Seismic

Mitigation Program Risk Ratings. This information was taken from the Ministry of Education Seismic Mitigation

Program, Province of British Columbia http://bit.ly.1Wh0QVh.

Table 1. Seismic Structural Risk Ratings by Block (updated January 2015) SD SD Name Facility # Facility Name Bl

ock #

Block Name Area (m2) 2004 Risk Current Risk

Status School Risk

Comments

68 Nanaimo/ Ladysmith

6868013 WOODLANDS 1 Classrooms 2,040 High Medium Non Structural Upgrade Required

Medium


6868013 WOODLANDS 2 Classrooms 3,714 High Medium Non Structural Upgrade Required


6868013 WOODLANDS 3 Gymnasium 856 High Medium Non Structural Upgrade Required


6868013 WOODLANDS 4 Shop & Cafeteria

1,233 High Medium Non Structural Upgrade Required

Table 2. Seismic Mitigation Program Risk Ratings

Rating Definition

High 1 (H1) Most vulnerable structure; at highest risk of widespread damage or structural failure; not reparable after event. Structural and non-structural seismic upgrades required.

High 2 (H2) Vulnerable structure; at high risk of widespread damage or structural failure; likely not reparable after event. Structural and non-structural seismic upgrades required.

High 3 (H3) Isolated failure to building elements such as walls are expected; building likely not reparable after event. Structural and non-structural seismic upgrades required.

Medium (M) Isolated damage to building elements is expected; non-structural elements (such as bookshelves, lighting) are at risk of failure. Non-structural upgrades required. Building to be upgraded or replaced within the Capital Plan when it has reached the end of its useful life.

Low (L) Least vulnerable structure. Would experience isolated damage and would probably be reparable after an event. Non-structural upgrades may be required.

The government is structurally upgrading schools that have a high risk rating (High 1, High 2 or High 3). The structural upgrade work will also correct any non-structural deficiencies of these high-risk locations.

Seismic structural risk rating by block: Blocks represent areas within a school that are of different construction types and have

different structural characteristics. For example, gymnasiums are usually a different type of structure than classroom blocks.

The following report shows updated risk ratings by block for all schools within the province’s 37 high-risk seismic zones –

upgrade status for each school is also included.

http://bit.ly.1wh0qvh/

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ENROLMENT, UTILIZATION AND CATCHMENT

Student Enrolment

Source: Baragar Demographic Dynamics, September 2014; and BC Ministry of Education 1701 Data Collection,

September 2014

Central Nanaimo Secondary School Enrollment and Catchment

Table 5. Central Zone Capacity Utilization

Source: Baragar Demographic Dynamics, September 2014; BC Ministry of Education 1701 Data Collection, September 2014

See Appendix A – Facility Information 2014 Capacity Utilization Order – smallest to largest utilization by zone.

Table 3. Historical Enrolment

Year 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2014

Enrolment 803 780 712 790 708 685 636 578 559 Source: BC Ministry of Education 1701 Data Collection

Table 4. Projected Enrolment*

Year 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2026

Enrolment 514 570 571 595 623 605 606

Functional Capacity

2014 2016 2021 2026

Enrol Capacity

Utilization

Enrol

Capacity Utilization

Enrol


Enrol


NDSS 1,400 1,092 78% 1,451 104% 1,530 109% 1,606 115%

Woodlands 700 593 85%

Wellington 900 797 89% 992 110% 987 110% 1,083 120%

John Barsby 1,000 769 77% 462 46% 530 53% 529 53%

Total 4,000 3,251 82% 2,905 88% 3,047 92% 3,218 98%

Empty Seats 749 395 253 82

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Within the four central Nanaimo secondary schools (Woodlands, Wellington, NDSS, and John Barsby)

exists 749 empty student seats. That is, collectively, these four schools are under-enrolled by 749

students which equates to a capacity utilization score far below Ministry of Education expectations.

If Woodlands Secondary School closes, as is the recommendation from staff, 700 seats would be

removed from this calculation thereby greatly improving the capacity utilization of these four secondary

schools and the district as a whole.

For the purpose of accommodating the closure of Woodlands Secondary School, staff recommends the

following:

1) Woodlands Secondary students would relocate to either NDSS or Wellington.

(See Table 7. Woodlands Relocation to Wellington and NDSS)

2) Change the following elementary feeder schools:

Cilaire from Woodlands to Wellington

Brechin and Forest Park from Woodlands to ND

Table 6. Woodlands Relocation to Wellington and NDSS

Students Capacity Total Seats Available

Woodlands 2014 enrolment 593 – 39 ISE* 700

Wellington 2014 enrolment 797 900 103 + 125 seats in five portables currently on site

Wellington September 2016 projected enrolment

992 1,025 33

NDSS 2014 enrolment 1,194** 1,400 206

NDSS September 2016 projected enrolment

1,451 1,400 +51

*International students **Includes 40 International, 13 District Secondary Skills for Life, 98 VAST (ABOUT, RAVENS Lelum, OWL, NCC, House of Learning, 41 Program Cadre and 61 Continuing Education

It is also important to note that while NDSS has a capacity of 1,400 students and shows over capacity for

September 2016, it houses a number of special and Learning Alternatives programs that do not inhabit

the same space as more traditional classrooms. Some of the programs require much more space per

student eg. District Secondary Skills for Life, while others (VAST and Continuing Education) require much

less space per student.

Although Learn@Home 8-12 is housed in the NDSS building, the 353 full-time equivalent students are

not included in the September 2014 enrolment. However, the program requires four classrooms for its

delivery.

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To accommodate an additional 229 students at NDSS, this would require 10 classrooms.

Staff recommend:

Moving Learn@Home 8-12 4 classrooms

Return Rooms 128 and 130 from secretarial to general instruction 2 classrooms

Convert Meeting Rooms A and B to general instruction 2 classrooms

Timetable Absorption (teachers prepping out of classroom) 8 classrooms

Total 16 classrooms

Woodlands Sport Academies

Historically, the district has allowed individual schools to develop specialty academies through the Board

Policy of 3870, Programs of Choice. Through this policy, schools were able to identify unique focuses of

students and develop these enhanced programs. Often these programs are looked at as attractions for

students that are out-of-catchment and wish to cross boundaries to attend such an academy.

These academies are based on student requests and staff willing to be the focal leader of the

academy. The Department of Learning Services has had discussions with the individual teacher leaders

and are reporting that all academies would prefer to be at NDSS. This concept also fits into the city

concept of a sports corridor on the third street connector and central access to both district and

municipal bus routes.

Woodlands Hockey Academy 8 – 12

The Hockey Academy has been running since September 2004. It is designed to provide additional training for minor hockey aged players by focusing on individual skill development as part of a regular academic program. The program is open to students who wish to improve their individual skills and maximize their potential on and off the ice. The program is connected to Hockey Canada Skills Academy standards and the students are on the ice three times a week with two days of class instruction on areas such as: nutrition, fitness, cross training and mental imagery training.

Hockey Canada supports academies that maximize the arena facility use during weekday hours. Students should also be participating in hockey in the community. Strong academic performance is emphasized throughout the student’s development. New students must submit an application to the academy along with their registration form. Woodlands traditionally considers out-of-district applications from students accepted to the Silvertips team. There are junior classes in the first semester and senior Hockey Academy classes in first and second semesters.

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Woodlands Soccer Academy 8 – 12

The Soccer Academy has been in operation since September 2003. It is designed for soccer players who have the desire and commitment to develop their soccer skills and knowledge in an educational setting, as part of their regular academic program. Students in the academy must be registered in youth soccer, at the club-level or above. The focus of the course is individual development, rather than inter-school competition.

For many, this developmental program will enhance their opportunity to take their game beyond high school or youth soccer to the college or university level. Strong academic performance is emphasized throughout the student’s development. New students must submit an application to the academy along with their registration form.

Woodlands Beach Volleyball Academy 8 – 12

The Beach Volleyball Academy has operated at Woodlands since September 2013. The focus is on both technical and tactical skill development of individual athletes in the sport of beach volleyball. It is open to students of all ability levels who wish to participate. This is also a great way for all students interested in high performance training in beach volleyball as students will train and compete against students of the same ability level.

This program is fully endorsed by Volleyball BC. The class is in its second semester. Students participate in beach training for a minimum of 80 hours and also in indoor volleyball training, weight lifting and classroom sessions focused on the sport of beach volleyball. Strong academic performance is emphasized throughout the student’s development. Registration must be accompanied by an academy application.

Table 7. Academy Breakdown of Students

Woodlands Soccer

2015-16

Woodlands Hockey

2015-16

Woodlands Beach

Volleyball 2015-16

# of grades offered 8-12 8-12 8-12

# of students by grade

8-14 9-3

10-4 11-5 12-2

8-14 9-27

10-26 11-20 12-4

8-6 9-11 10-6 11-8 12-1

Total # of students in academy

28 91 32

# of in-catchment students

17 32 16

# of out-of-catchment students

11 59 15

Fee’s charged annually

400 800 600

Both the academies teaching staff and district staff support the recommendation that all the academies

relocate to NDSS, further supporting the community sports corridor and access to facilities.

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FINANCIAL/OPERATIONS

Facility Operational Issues Table 8. Custodial, Maintenance and Utilities Breakdown

School Work Orders

Size (m2) Custodial Maintenance Utilities Total Per m2

Woodlands 495 9,009 $214,669 $242,894 $109,017 $566,580 62.89

John Barsby 696 11,784 $235,726 $317,701 $149,855 $703,282 59.68

NDSS 1,192 14,930 $332,597 $410,435 $167,853 $910,885 61.01

Wellington 553 10,556 $263,046 $189,735 $149,704 $602,486 57.08

Recent Maintenance Work

In the 1988-89 school year, the school was converted from a junior high school (8-10) to a secondary

high school (8-12). As a junior high school, Woodlands was not equipped with a teaching kitchen or a

trade level shop wing. Over the next number of years, major capital improvements included:

HVAC upgrade 2002

Interior renovations 2004-05

o Corridor

o Classrooms and gym entry

o Exterior/interior paint

o Wheelchair access

o Lockers

o Main electrical service

o Internet/cable access to classrooms

o Telephone upgrade

o Upgrade four washrooms

o Replace water fountains

o Renovate for vending machines and eyewash stations

Elevator install 2002

Oil contamination cleanup 2002

Home Economics Lab 2007

Over the past 10 years, maintenance projects have included, lighting upgrades, rear parking

improvements, frontage works, soccer and hockey academy improvements and reroofing.

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Future Capital Expenses

Anticipating future capital works is slightly more challenging for Woodlands. Plans to close the school

have been included in previous facilities reports for the last 10 years. With this in mind, capital works

have been limited to those that are absolutely necessary i.e. roofing, parking improvements due to City

of Nanaimo road works.

This has created a larger than normal list of capital, program enhancements and functional

improvements.

Estimated future capital expenses include the following repairs and replacements for an approximate

value of $2,052,000:

Roofing

Boiler replacement

Shop wing improvements

Kitchen

Change rooms

Exterior paint

Flooring

Facility Rentals

Table 9. Woodlands Rental Summary Report for 2014

Complex: Woodlands # Bookings Revenue Extra Fee Total

Facility: Bandroom 25 $465 $61 $526

Facility: Cafeteria 1 $56 $25 $82

Facility: Class 107 1 $8 $0 $8

Facility: Drama Room 1 $40 $25 $66

Facility: Gym 74 $1,971 $369 $2,340

Facility: Soccer 1 – Boundary 3 $108 $25 $133

Facility: Soccer 2 – Private Prop 1 $3 $25 $28

Facility: Weight Room 24 $358 $59 $416

Report Totals 130 $3,009 $589 $3,599

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POLICY CRITERIA ASSESSMENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 68 (NANAIMO-LADYSMITH) PROCEDURE NO. 3605P SCHOOL CLOSURE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCHOOL USE

The following steps shall be taken to ensure that an open, meaningful public consultation will take place over a period of at least 60 days prior to making a final decision on any proposed closure: Make available, in writing, pertinent facts and information considered by the Board with respect to school closure, including, but not limited to:

a. reasons for the proposed school closure b. the specific school that is considered for closure c. how the proposed closure would affect the catchment areas of affected schools d. the general effect on surrounding schools e. the number of students who would be affected, at both the closed school and surrounding

schools f. the effect of the proposed closure on district-provided student transportation g. educational program/course implications for the affected students h. the proposed effective date of the closure i. financial considerations j. impact on the Board’s capital plan, including possible alternate uses

Procedure Action Rationale and Comments

a. reasons for the proposed school closure

Aging facilities Future cost of maintaining

Raising the central Nanaimo capacity utilization

Reducing the number of empty seats

Shifting students to Wellington and NDSS

b. the specific school that is considered for closure

Woodlands Secondary School Aging facility

Declining enrolment

Projected declining enrolment

c. how the proposed closure would affect the catchment areas of affected schools

Students would be moved to Wellington and NDSS secondary schools

Catchment-areas would be enlarged

Both schools would have room for students

Wellington Secondary school has just completed a major renovation and students would be in an almost new building

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d. the general effect on surrounding schools

Both NDSS and Wellington would reach capacity

NDSS would need to move some district programs to John Barsby

Elementary Cilaire Forest Park Brechin

To Wellington To NDSS To NDSS

e. the number of students who would be affected, at both the closed school and surrounding schools

Currently in 2014 Woodlands 593 Wellington 797 John Barsby 769 NDSS 1,092

Projected in 2016 Closed 992 462 1,451

f. the effect of the proposed closure on district-provided student transportation

None at this time Not at this time

g. educational program/course implications for the affected students

Both Wellington and NDSS will have larger student bodies to allow for more course offering

Larger staff

More speciality areas offered

Access to Skills and Trades program

More flexibility for supporting students and learning

Greater number of full-time staff allowing for more flexible support

Greater opportunities for programs Extra-curriculum opportunities

Larger sports program including football

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Closing Comments

The closure of Woodlands Secondary School would reduce annual operating costs by approximately

$970,000 annually, and avoid future capital expenses of approximately $2 million. Furthermore,

relocated students will be in a larger school with a more robust learning environment still within the

central Nanaimo community.

An additional financial benefit would be that the Woodlands property would remain school district land

which would revert into the Asset Management Program and have a capital value of between $4 and $6

million.

Should Woodlands Secondary School close, students would:

Have access to the Skills and Trades program

Have access to more electives and senior academic courses

Have more options for alternate learning placements

Have more full-time teachers and staff to support a greater variety of students’ needs

Have greater programming and opportunities for students

There is currently space to accommodate students from Woodlands Secondary at Wellington and NDSS.

Annual Saving 5 Years Capital Total

Learning $404,800

$2,024,000

Operations $566,580

$2,832,900

$971,380 $4,856,900

$4,856,900

Future Capital Costs Avoided $2,052,000

$2,052,000

Long-term Savings on Proposed Closure

$6,908,900

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Recommendation

Based on the information and data, staff recommends that:

Woodlands Secondary School close June 30, 2016

Consultation begin to determine the most appropriate location for Learn@Home 8-12 and all district programs connected to the NDSS site

The Hockey Academy be relocated to NDSS

The Soccer Academy be relocated to NDSS

The Beach Volleyball Academy be relocated to NDSS This Strategy will:

Reduce annual operating costs by approximately $970,000

Avoid future capital expenses

Contribute to ensuring that the existing school assets are maintained at or better than the FCI provincial average score of 0.43

Feedback

The Board of Education encourages individuals and groups to submit their input through the online

survey process which can be found under the Facilities Plan Update page on the district website

www.sd68.bc.ca, or written comments via email [email protected], fax 250 741-5309; or mail to

the Board of Education, 395 Wakesiah Avenue, Nanaimo, BC V9R 3K6 by Sunday, November 15.

http://www.sd68.bc.ca/?page_id=3231

http://www.sd68.bc.ca/

mailto:[email protected]

Appendix A

Appendix B

Instruction and Learning Efficiencies with Amalgamation

Woodlands FTE Amount

Principals and Vice-Principals (1.00) 138,700

Education Assistants (0.98) 46,700

Teachers (0.72) 74,500

Support Staff (2.71) 143,200

Other 1,700

Annual Instruction and Learning savings 404,800

NCI/Woodbank FTE Amount



Teachers (1.60) 164,500


Other 400


Rutherford FTE Amount

Principals and Vice-Principals 1.00 (98,700)


Teachers (3.80) 393,200


Other 400


Total Savings FTE Amount



Teachers (6.12) 632,200


Other - 2,500

1,087,500

woodlands · 2015. 10. 15. · than 745 empty seats in these four schools combined (see table 5,...

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