TVDSB seeks public opinion on rural schools

The Rural Education Task Force of Thames Valley District School Board has opened an online “thought exchange,” seeking the opinions of residents on the needs of schools in the countryside.

Elgin St. Thomas Trustee Meagan Ruddock said that the question being posed was straightforward.

“What are the unique challenges and opportunities of our TVDSB rural schools, and how do you think we can enhance the rural school experience?”

In addition to responding to the question, which went online at www.tvdsb.ca/RETF on Monday, Nov. 30, the task force hopes that participants will check in once or twice over the next two weeks to review concerns and suggestions raised by others and rank them in order of priority.

The task force, Trustee Ruddock said, had already consulted with parents, teachers and staff at the 44 “rural” schools in the board, as well as municipal mayors, to get their opinions.

What the group sought now was a wider range of opinions from the general public, whether or not respondents had children in school now.

In Elgin County, every public school outside St. Thomas was considered rural, receiving some funding from the Ontario Rural and Northern Education Fund.

The board appreciated that extra funding, she said, but she described it as “not enough.”

Challenges facing schools in rural areas included transportation for children, solving problems of some schools being substantially under or over capacity, limited Internet access and in some cases reductions in available programs due to low enrollment.

The online survey was looking to identify problems as the community saw them, and possible solutions, she said.

She urged everyone in rural areas to participate.

Because the survey would only be online until Monday, Dec. 14, she suggested residents take part as soon as possible.