TVDSB chairman dismisses school closings appeals

Thames Valley District School Board Chairman Matt Reid appears to have taken it onto himself to dismiss appeals from Elgin County and Central Elgin for reconsideration of the ordered closings of New Sarum, Sparta and Springfield public schools.

The agenda for Central Elgin council’s meeting on Monday afternoon, Aug. 28, includes a reply from Trustee Reid to the two councils.

He acknowledged that the Ontario Ministry of Education had ordered a halt to school closing and amalgamation reviews, but added the ministry had told boards they “were not required” to review recent decisions about closings.

He said the board’s decision on Springfield, New Sarum and Sparta were based “on the goal of providing prudent fiscal management that allows new and superior facilities to be built to support better programming options for students.

“For that reason, trustees intend to enact the recommendations they have approved after very careful consideration.”

According to TVDSB’s website, the board and its committees don’t appear to have held any meetings since early June, when the appeals from Elgin County and Central Elgin councils were launched, where trustees could have affirmed their intention to proceed with the closings.