Local M.P.P. Steve Clark has written to the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) to express his support for keeping Oxford-on-Rideau Public School in Oxford Mills open. His letter followed a resolution passed at the last UCDSB Board meeting instructing UCDSB staff to prepare a report on the enrollments, facility, and other conditions related to the school, which is set to close in 2022. The Board decided to have the report presented at their January meeting and would “look at any changes that have occurred since the decision to close the school in 2017″. The motion was put forward by Trustee Lisa Swan.
In March, 2017, the UCDSB made the decision that Oxford-on-Rideau was slated for closure as of September 2018, with the student body being consolidated with South Branch Elementary School. Since the closure was announced, a group of dedicated parents have been working hard to make their case to the School Board about why Oxford-on-Rideau should be kept open. The Oxford on Rideau Save Our School (SOS) group has been lobbying the UCDSB since the 2017 decision, and their efforts also led to the creation of the innovative Oxford-on-Rideau Tech Club program, which teaches kids the basics of robotics and code.
In his letter, MPP Clark repeated his stance taken at the time the decision to close the school was made in 2017.
“As I said at the Board meeting in 2017, the North Grenville area is the fastest growing in my riding, and keeping Oxford-on-Rideau Public School open recognizes that expanding population. I suggested at the 2017 meeting that boundary adjustments, additional programming, and working with new partners should be on the table by the Board before a school is closed”.
The UCDSB Trustees will meet on January 12 and January 26.
