News Release

For immediate release: Wednesday, December 9, 2015

At the St. James-Assiniboia School Board meeting, held on Tuesday, December 8, 2015, the proposal from Senior Administration

regarding a middle years reorganization in our Division was approved through a phase-in process over the next two

school years, beginning September 2016. The phase-in process will allow students who currently attend the affected middle

schools to complete their academic programming at their present school.

As of September 2018, Golden Gate Middle School will become a single-track English school, Grades 6 to 8, and Ness

Middle School will become a French Milieu School for Grades 6 to 8.

The recommendation from Senior Administration was presented at a public meeting at Collège Sturgeon Heights

Collegiate on September 23, 2015, which was followed up with three public meetings on October 20, 21 and 22, 2015.

The Board of Trustees voted to approve this plan for the future of our Division and would like to announce the following

changes:

That the St. James-Assiniboia School Board reorganize the Middle Years Schools in order to create a French Milieu

at Ness Middle School. École Golden Gate Middle School will become an English track school, and Hedges Middle

School will become the designated English track school for the John Taylor Collegiate catchment area;

And further,

• That the reorganization will be effective, in a phase-in process over the next two years beginning September 2016;

• In order to assist families affected by the reorganization, the Board waive Policy EEAA (Student Eligibility for Transportation

Services) and EEAA-R for two years (2016-17/ 2017-18) for those students registering at Hedges Middle

School who are entering Grade 6 and reside in the current Ness Middle School catchment area;

• That projected costs associated with the reorganization be financed through the use of the School Building Capital

Reserve and Accumulated Operating Reserve, pending approval of the Public Schools Finance Board;

• That the Board designate Tammy Baydock, current Principal at Ness Middle School, to be the Principal of Hedges

Middle School, effective date to be determined;

• That the Board designate Dan Kalynchuk, current Principal at Hedges Middle School, to be the Principal of Golden

Gate Middle School, effective date to be determined;

• That the Board designate Jordana Buckwold, current Principal at École Golden Gate Middle School, to be the Principal

of the new French Milieu Middle School, effective date to be determined;

• That Senior Administration will give priority placement to professional staff who are declared surplus as a result of the

reorganization, for 2016-17/2017-18;

• That the Board use policy FF (Naming of Facilities) and FF-R to determine any changes to the renaming the current

facilities involved in the reorganization.

“The Board has been very proud of the dual track French Immersion program offered at Golden Gate Middle School,”

Chair of the Board, Craig McGregor said. “The new French Milieu program at Ness Middle School will further enrich the

experience of our French Immersion students and ensure the continued vitality of our schools and community of which we

are so proud.”

Contact: Jen Cameron, Information Officer

204-888-7951, extension 2013

jcameron@sjsd.net