Dartmouth schools getting much-needed attention

The burst of construction work at Dartmouth schools this fall and during the next few years has me both excited but also a bit nostalgic.
Prince Andrew High has been a hive of construction activity this fall as renovations are underway.
As parents and families well know, Dartmouth and Prince Andrew high schools require upgrades.
The renovations at Prince Andrew High School are moving along nicely. The school received a new roof this fall. The roof was considered the highest priority of the $8.85-million project. A tender was recently awarded to improve the parking lot at the school.
Other renovations to come include windows and siding replacement, installation of new learning technology (LCD projectors, white boards, etc.) and washroom upgrades.
The school steering and school advisory teams, which include school staff and parents, have been meeting regularly to discuss priorities, and next steps in the four-year initiative. There are plans to hire a project manager and designer in the new year with the goal to have more renovation work beginning in the spring.
At Dartmouth High, planning for the $11.85-million renovation project is also well underway. The school advisory council, which includes administration and parents, has been meeting to discuss what work needs to be done and the project's priorities. A project manager and designer are to be hired in the new year and work is expected to begin in the spring.
Also, the sound of hammers and saws will soon be heard during the construction of a new Primary to Grade 9 school in our community.
Government announced last spring that it would invest $24 million in a new Primary to Grade 9 school for Dartmouth, with work beginning in 2012. Students from Prince Arthur Junior High and Southdale-North Woodside Elementary would attend the new school, which is scheduled to open in 2014. Once we open this wonderful new school, both Prince Arthur and Southdale-North Woodside will close, after six decades of serving the children of this community.
In most cases, a school must be put up for review before it can be closed. In this case, there is some disagreement about whether a review should take place. The review criteria and the process - which follows a strict timeline and procedure - are outlined in legislation. The department will make the necessary changes to ensure a review occurs.
According to the process, a school board must identify that a school is up for review by April 1 of each year. Other provisions under the review process include: involvement of the school advisory committee, public input, a public meeting, a set of deadlines and a board vote to determine the future of the school. The process takes a year.
(More information can be found at www.ednet.ns.ca/school_reviews.shtml)
Students will be thrilled with the new school. It will be a leading-edge facility with modern classrooms and equipment. Also, we build all our new schools to the highest environmental standards - in fact, we are world leaders in "green" schools.
I must take a second to thank all those involved in making these renovations and new construction a reality. It takes much collaboration and co-ordination from the departments of Education and Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, the Halifax Regional School Board, principals, school staff, parents, students and others to get these projects off the ground.
On another personal note, when Prince Arthur closes I will be a bit nostalgic. My first teaching job was at the junior high school. Occasionally, I meet former students from those two years.
And both as a school board member for years and since my election in 2003, I've particularly enjoyed being engaged with all three schools.
Today is an exciting time for Dartmouth schools. I look forward to seeing how the renovations to Dartmouth High and Prince Andrew change those schools for the better, and watching a new Prince Arthur/Southdale-North Woodside become a reality.
Marilyn More is the Minister of Education, Minister of Labour and Workforce Development, Minister of Volunteerism. Her column appears once a month in The Weekly News.