Island schools facing shakeup

Approximately 275 people gathered in the Deer Island Community School gym on the evening of October 14 to learn about a proposal to reconfigure the school system. A study is being done to consider taking grades 6, 7 and 8 off the island to Fundy High School in St. George in the fall of 2016. This study is being conducted by the District Education Council (DEC) of the Anglophone South School District, which includes the area from Sussex to Grand Manan, including Deer Island.
District Superintendent Zoe Watson gave a 30-minute speech explaining the 409 policy and the benefits a transfer would mean to the students. Jenny McDougall, senior education officer of the district's Education Centre in St. Stephen, spoke about the excellent teaching on the island and benefits of the transfer.
A presentation was then given by Dr. Lois Mitchell for the school's Parent School Support Committee (PSSC), with a slide show illustrating how the island ferry has travelled in some very bad weather and has in the past been grounded while on the run between Deer Island and Letete. The consensus of the islanders at the meeting was the students are too young to be transferred and need to remain at the Deer Island school in the community until going into Grade 9. Islanders could not see any benefits to moving the students, as good activities are offered at the island's school.
Several people read letters in support of leaving the school as is. Steven Cline, a captain of the ferry, explained that the ferry has a capacity of 98 people, including the ferry crew, and if the school bus had as many as 60 students, as is projected in the future, this could cause problems. The 64 people would not leave much room for other people or for trucks carrying lobsters and other goods.
There is much to be considered in taking students to the mainland. It would be a very long day for the 10-, 11- and 12-year-old students, who would leave home at 7 a.m. and return at 5 p.m.
A question-and-answer period followed. One question that has not been answered is who would be responsible for students if something goes wrong on the ferry. The ferry crew could be responsible only for the ferry, and the situation would be more than the school bus driver could handle.
Chairperson Rob Fowler told islanders the DEC will be going over all the information carefully before a decision is made. The DEC will inform the minister of education on the decision, and Zoe Watson will inform the parents.
Angie Rogerson, chairperson of the PSSC, thanked the DEC council for coming and giving the presentation and the islanders for their support.