‘I want students back in classrooms as soon as possible. I have instructed the board to copy me personally on all communications with the Town,’ Minister Calandra said, speaking of the Parry Sound JK-12 school delay
Ontario’s Education Minister Paul Calandra announced he will launch “a full governance review of the Near North District School Board.”
The review comes in response to the delayed opening of Parry Sound’s new JK-12 school, which was supposed to open for this Fall’s semester. The minister wrote a letter to the board, and instructed staff to send the letter to all families in Parry Sound affected by the delay.
The minister’s office also sent the letter to BayToday earlier this evening.
See: Board postpones opening Parry Sound’s new JK-12 school
“I am writing to you today regarding the troubling situation unfolding at the K-12 school in Parry Sound and the Near North District School Board,” Calandra’s letter begins. He goes on to explain that he had visited the construction site in April, and had insisted the board notify parents of the delay and the return of students to both McDougall and Nobel schools.
“I was also assured that, despite delays, the new school would be completed in early September and ready to be fully occupied by students soon after. I was further told that the old school would be demolished over the summer and the new site would be ready for high school-aged students and child care as of September 1st,” Calandra noted.
The minister explained that his office continued receiving updates during this period. When it became clear that the site would not be ready, he wrote to the board on July 25.
In that letter, Calandra demanded an immediate plan to address student accommodation, and the board provided its contingency plan soon after.
“To be clear, I was not willing to support any action on the site that could put students and educators at risk, including demolition or environmental abatement,” Calandra emphasized.
Earlier this week, the minister was informed that the Town of Parry Sound had mandated that non-construction personnel were no longer permitted to access the Parry Sound High School, which had been partially demolished, as the new school was supposed to be built.
Earlier this week, the NNDSB announced that students attending Parry Sound High School would be learning remotely this fall.
See: Remote learning planned for Parry Sound secondary students this semester
Minister Calandra said, “This will delay the opening of in-person classes for grades 9-12, forcing these students and teachers online for the immediate future. Like you, I am incredibly disappointed, frustrated, and to be frank, angry.”
“I want students back in classrooms as soon as possible. I have instructed the board to copy me personally on all communications with the Town. If yardsticks change and delays occur, I want to know immediately.”
The minister confirmed that both Nobel and McDougall schools will remain operational for students until the end of this school year. Once the new school is completed, he supports the transfer of McDougall to the French school board as was originally planned.
The minister added, “High school students are still expected to return to the old Parry Sound school for the 2025-26 school year. The old school will be demolished and the new site completed to allow full operation of the new JK-12 school when it is safe to do so. I have asked the board to consider limited operations between both the new and old sites only if it can be done safely.”
After speaking with Graydon Smith, MPP for Parry Sound–Muskoka, Minister Calandra decided to initiate a governance review of NNDSB.
On August 20, NNDSB trustees passed a motion to investigate the board’s administration’s handling of the Parry Sound school. However, on August 25, trustees issued an apology and declared that entire meeting null and void due to Director of Education Craig Myles’ absence and procedural irregularities.
See: Investigation request into school board administration declared null and void
Minister Calandra wrote, “On the advice of Graydon Smith, your MPP, I am launching a full governance review of the Near North District School Board. The board’s own trustees recently voted to request an investigation, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. This review will begin immediately, and I have asked for a report back in 30 days.”
Further, Calandra said challenges at NNDSB inspired legislation introduced last June aimed at giving future ministers more authority over school boards. His letter states, “Last June, I introduced legislation that would give the Minister of Education additional tools to step in sooner. The challenges at the Near North board are in part what inspired that legislation.”
“I know that students, parents, teachers, and the entire school community at all impacted schools are frustrated and disappointed. The new school is a state-of-the-art facility, and you have waited long enough to see it open,” the minister said.
Calandra concluded, “I remain committed to giving educators the tools they need so your children can succeed. This delay is unacceptable. It highlights the weakness of the existing school board governance structure, and I assure you I am committed to fixing it.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.