Apg5A6 drigiithirrak, Administrative Report Schools Considered for Potential Closure Britannia Secondary School 1001 Cotton Drive, Vancouver, BC V5L 314 Table of Contents SCHOOL SUMMARY GRAPHIC 3 ASSESSMENT MATRIX 4 1. WHY VSB IS CONSIDERING THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS 5 2. NEXT STEPS IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS 7 3. WHERE WOULD BRITANNIA SECONDARY STUDENTS GO TO SCHOOL? 7 4. WHEN WOULD BRITANNIA SECONDARY CLOSE? 7 5. WHY WAS BRITANNIA IDENTIFIED FOR POSSIBLE CLOSURE? 7 6. IMPLICATIONS OF CLOSING BRITANNIA SECONDARY 8 A. Educational Programing 8 B. District Seismic Mitigation Program 8 C. Financial Implications 9 7. CLOSURE IMPLEMENTATION 9 8. RECOMMENDATION 11 APPENDIX 1: DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT BRITANNIA SECONDARY 13 A. Location and Context 13 B. Enrolment History 14 C. Enrolment Analysis 16 D. Projected Enrolment 17 E. Operating Capacity 17 F. Capacity Utilization 17 G. Building Condition 18 H. Seismic Condition 18 APPENDIX 2: DETAILED EVALUATION OF ENROLMENT FOR A CONSOLIDATED BRITANNIA/TEMPLETON 19 A. Operating Capacity 19 B. Operating Capacity & Classroom Spaces 20 C. Enrolment Projections 20 D. Capacity Utilization 21 E. Managing Changing Enrolment Patterns 21 APPENDIX 3: REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF LRFP LEVEL TWO FACTORS 23 A. Geographical Considerations 23 B. Seismic Rating 25 C. School Site Considerations 26 D. Temporary Accommodation for Seismic Mitigation 26 E. Deferred Maintenance and Operating Costs 27 F. Supports for Vulnerable Students and Families 30 G. Educational and Social Impact of School Closure on Vulnerable Communities 31 APPENDIX 4: LRFP SCHOOL CLOSURE IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS 32 A. Enhanced Services and Community Link Services 32 B. School and Community Programs and Supports 32 C. District Programs 33 D. Rentals 33 E. Partnerships 34 F. Individualized support 34 2 Administrative Repoli on Putelitiel School Clusur Britannic SeLuilddi y OVERALL Britannia SEISMIC Secondary School RATING HIGH BLOCK 1 LOW GRADES BLOCK 2 LOW BLOCK 3 H1 8 12 BLOCK 4 MEDIUM ENROLMENT & UTILIZATION: CURRENT AND PROJECTED (BASED ON OPERATING CAPACITY OF 1100) Present day = 2015/2016 577 xi UN 52% Projected 2016/2017 559 I Wiwi - 51% In fifteen years 2030 641 xi iiiififi - 58% WILL BE USED BUDGET IMPACT: FOR TEMPORARY COST SAVINGS ACCOMMODATION: IF APPROVED FOR CLOSURE Potential Ongoing Operating Savings per Year STUDENT PLACEMENT UPON CLOSURE $2.44 MILLION BRITANNIA TEMPLETON SECONDARY SECONDARY Deferred Maintenance Savings —Th" _\./..__. $13.3 MILLION Administrative Report on Potential School Closures: Britannia Secondary ASSESSMENT MATRIX Assessment Britannia Secondary School Conclusion Board Policy Requirements for Closure • Students can be reasonably accommodated in other local schools. • Students can be provided with access to appropriate educational programs. Level One Factors for Closure Consideration • Catchment and non-catchment students can be accommodated in local schools. • Projected future student enrolment of new catchment can be accommodated. Level Two Factors for Closure Consideration Reviewed and Assessed • The consolidated Templeton catchment is below VSB secondary maximum walk distance ■ Transit routes and pedestrian crossing information outlined • Seismic Ratings: Britannia is High 1 (based on one block, most of school is Low or Medium risk), Templeton is High 1 ■ Britannia will be used to provide Temporary Accommodation • Britannia receives Enhanced Services staffing support • Closing Britannia would result in operating cost savings of $ 2,438,809 per year • Closing Britannia would result in $13.3 million in avoided deferred maintenance capital costs 4 Administrative Report on Potential School Closures: Britannia Secondary 1. WHY VSB IS CONSIDERING THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS The Vancouver School Board (VSB) is committed to providing the highest quality learning experience for all students, helping them reach their full potential in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment. Fulfilling this commitment requires careful, ongoing management of the VSB budget, which is set by a Provincial Government funding formula. The delivery of a high quality educational experience is comprised of many components; a wide variety of educational programs and opportunities, access to educational resources, safe and well maintained school facilities, qualified school staff, and engaged parents and communities. Allocating more funding than necessary to any one of these components results in less funding being available for others. As outlined in the Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP, May 2016), there has been a long term decline in the total school age population in Vancouver. Therefore, the VSB has more school capacity than required to accommodate both current and future student enrolment. Using the Ministry of Education definition, the school district's current operating capacity utilization is 84.7%. Some Vancouver schools are at or over capacity while others are significantly under capacity. Approximately a quarter of the 92 elementary schools (including annexes and elementary schools) and about a third of the 18 secondary schools were at less than 70% of their operating capacity during the 2015-16 school year. Long term enrolment projections show that VSB will continue to have surplus capacity, notwithstanding anticipated enrolment growth and increased densification in Vancouver. The existing network of schools is larger than is required to support current and future enrolment. Retaining more school buildings than needed is costly and an inefficient use of funding. By reducing the number of operating schools: 1. Funds spent on operational costs (utilities, energy consumption, custodial supplies, building maintenance and repair) and administrative costs (principals, vice principals, clerical and custodial staff) can be redirected to support educational programming. 2. Significant deferred maintenance costs will be saved, allowing more funds to be directed to upgrading operating schools thus improving the overall condition of school facilities. 3. The Ministry of Education is more likely to advance funding for seismic projects if the VSB has increased district-wide capacity utilization. This will enhance the efficiency of the Seismic Mitigation Program. 4. Temporary accommodation sites will be identified increasing the speed and efficiency of the seismic work and supporting the completion of the Seismic Mitigation Program by 2030. 5. With increased capacity utilization, the Ministry of Education is more likely to support capital funding requests allowing the opportunity to build new schools in areas experiencing enrolment growth (Downtown core and False Creek). The District fully understands that a school, full or not, is an important part of community life. Closing a school impacts children, families, and communities. Such a challenging decision requires clear information, a full understanding of the rationale, informed discussion, public consultation, and Administrative Report on Potential School Closures: Britannia Secondary transparent decision making. The District will work closely with impacted school communities to develop a detailed plan and process specific to each community. It is the intent of this report to provide the Board, school communities and the public with clear and detailed information to support discussion, consultation, and decision making. The school report contains the specific information for each school required by Board Policy FL-R: School Closure and as outlined in the Long Range Facility Plan (Section 4.3). In addition, information is provided on Implementation Considerations (LRFP, Section 4.3). In developing a preliminary list of possible schools for closure staff conducted extensive analysis of all VSB schools. This analysis resulted in the preliminary list of 12 schools that might be considered for closure. This list was released in June 2016. Schools on the preliminary list are: • Champlain Heights Annex at 7835 Champlain Crescent. • McBride Annex at 4750 St. Catherines Street. Queen Elizabeth Annex at 4275 Crown Street. • Tecumseh Annex at 1551 E. 37th Avenue. • Admiral Seymour Elementary School at 1130 Keefer Street. Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary School at 555 Lillooet Street. • Graham D. Bruce Elementary School at 3633 Tanner Street. • Pierre Elliott Trudeau at 449 E. 62nd Avenue. • Queen Alexandra Elementary at 1300 E. Broadway. • Sir Guy Carleton at 3250 Kingsway. • Britannia Secondary School at 1001 Cotton Drive. • Gladstone Secondary School at 4105 Gladstone Street. An explanation of the process used in determining the schools identified on the preliminary list is outlined in the "Strategic Report: Potential School Closures". 6 Administrative Report on Potential School Closures: Britannia Secondary 2. NEXT STEPS IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS In September 2016 the Board will determine whether Britannia Secondary should be considered for closure as per Board policy FL-R: School Closures. If the Board determines that Britannia Secondary should be considered for closure, consultation with the school community will occur during October and November of 2016. Following consultation, a report will be prepared for the Board summarizing the results of the consultation process. The school closure policy (FL-R) requires that this Consultation Report include, at a minimum, the following: • A fair consideration of the community's input. • Consideration of future enrolment growth in the district. • Consideration of alternate community uses for