Schools as Community Hubs Nov 09

Hubs for All:Hubs for All:Merging Education and CommunityMerging Education and Community

in Everybody’s Schoolsin Everybody’s Schools



Toronto District School BoardToronto District School BoardInner City Advisory CommitteeInner City Advisory Committee

November 17, 2009November 17, 2009__________________________________________________________________________________________

Presentation by David Clandfield

1. Everybody likes hubs

2. What exactly is a hub?

3. Barriers & solutions: school

4. Barriers & solutions: board

5. Barriers & solutions: local government

6. Getting from here to there

7. Beyond the fixed hub: the next generation





1. Everybody Likes Hubs1. Everybody Likes Hubs1. Everybody Likes Hubs1. Everybody Likes Hubs

Hubs: only the name is new

Early 1990s: “integrated services” watchword (MoE)1980s: Inner City project schools (Toronto)1970s: school daycare and the seamless day1960s: the Community School which began in the1930s: variants of the urban neighbourhood school1920s: the progressive schools and John DeweyAlways: village schools, North and South


Ontario supporters (2005-09)

A recent list


Minister ofEducation

Kathleen WynnePremier of OntarioDalton McGuinty

Dr. Charles PascalWith Our Best Future

in MindDr. Chris Spence, TDSB

Director of Education

Common Points

• Most propose both a school-level and a municipal level of governance and decision-making

• Most recommend intergovernmental co-operation without proposing a clear alternative to the current model

• Some do insist on the role of school hubs in community development

• None (except the last) insists on the integration of school and community in the curriculum (see Dr. Spence Full-Service Schools, TDSB, 2009)


The hub spectrum

Community Use of Schools - permit system *Parallel Use or Shared Use - time share system *Co-location of community services - planned partnership

**Full-service schools - integrated service provision **Full community hub school - full two-way relationship ***

* - market-driven model** - public policy model*** - civil society model

2. What Exactly is a Hub?2. What Exactly is a Hub?2. What Exactly is a Hub?2. What Exactly is a Hub?

school

community

The City

The Region

daycare food

health

inter-generational

learningcentres sports

fitness recreation

cultureperforming arts

visual arts

foodkitchen gardendaycare+ familyservices

environmental showplaceswaste, transport, snow, leaves

green energy

public

mental

adult ed

settlement

solar

windlocal history

neighbourhood

librarygeothermal

Schoolsand

Gardens

School garden, Bridgenorth Elementary, Ont., 1920

Footprint garden (FoodShare),James S Bell School, Toronto

Eco-Platinum School,Rose Avenue, Toronto

Green Thumbs/Growing Kids at Winchester School, Toronto

Firgrove Public School

TorontoSchools

withCommunity

Kitchens

Willow ParkPublic School

Nelson Mandela

ParkPublic School

France: Institutionalizing GastronomyFrance: Institutionalizing Gastronomy

Schools asfood hubs

Taste education in French national elementary curriculum since 1974Taste education in French national elementary curriculum since 1974Community dimension: Community dimension: National Tasting WeekNational Tasting Week in Oct. since 1989 in Oct. since 1989 Incorporated as a feature of Incorporated as a feature of national artsnational arts heritage in schools in 2000 heritage in schools in 2000

Intergenerational Learning CentresIntergenerational Learning Centres

In 2009, Buena Vista P.S.,Colorado Springs, first

closed,then resurrected as theNew West Center for

Intergenerational Learning

Intergenerational Learning Center,

West Seattlesince 1991

2009: Lochrie report in UK recommends that Sure Start

children’s centresevolve into intergenerational

learning centres**

**NB. A Sure Start model has been proposed in the Pascal report, but not the intergenerational dimension

Reading AngelsBaycrest School, Toronto

Toronto IntergenerationalPartnerships

Volunteers in 100+ TDSB schools

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are needed to see this picture.

Photovoltaic panels here

reversed unpopular closing and became an Energy Hub - geothermal heating system with Gas Tax Fund grant

Wind turbine, solar panels and…

Schools as energy hubs

Green roof

Abbotsford Middle School, B.C.

Wells-Barkerville Elementary School, B.C.

Island Public/Natural Science School Jackman Public School

TDSB

bicycle energy

B.C. Neighbourhoods of LearningB.C. Neighbourhoods of Learning

New elementary school and multipurpose complexInstructional space for 50 (!) students

Community KitchenCommunity Library

Seniors’ meeting roomTeen room

Neighbourhood Centres for Learning and DevelopmentNeighbourhood Centres for Learning and Development

Port Clements, B.C.

Vancouver School Board, B.C. - 2009 Pilot ProjectsVancouver School Board, B.C. - 2009 Pilot Projects

Full community hub embodies a 2-way process

Hubs facilitate , integrate and strengthen community development

Hubs facilitate, integrate and strengthen Learning for All

In the full community hub (Hub 2.0)

Education supports community development

Community development supports education

And as a pillar of civil society

It has a strong measure of local initiative and decision-making


All schools and communities benefit from hubsBut, which communities benefit most from hubs?

• Those who have least resources to begin with

• Those who include most newcomers

• Those who are most dissociated from school curriculum

• Those who differ socio-economically and culturally most from school staff


Social difference


“Inner City” communities benefit from hubs

Least resources

Newcomers

Alienation

more community-building resources

welcome and settlement

language accommodation, community projects

intergenerational programs, teachers in community

Greater integration of teachers and communities

Locally engaged curriculum

As schools close, others take the displaced students:

When a neighbourhood school closes, a hub is lost, soa community suffers, especially a disadvantaged one.

When a neighbourhood schools reduces hub space,a community suffers, especially a disadvantaged one.


AppianP.S.

Closed1996

PrivateSchool

EastDonRiver Railway

Page P.S.closedin 1981

EastDonRiver

EastDonRiver

Private School

Barrier : Separated Sharing

3. Barriers and Solutions: School3. Barriers and Solutions: School3. Barriers and Solutions: School3. Barriers and Solutions: School

• Child Learners - Adult Learners

• Day School - Night Classes

• Teachers - Support and Maintenance Staff

• School Staff - Community Members

• Security Concerns

Solutions?

Platforms for Hubsin the TDSB

3. Barriers and Solutions: School3. Barriers and Solutions: School3. Barriers and Solutions: School3. Barriers and Solutions: School

Solution A. The Purpose-BuiltCommunity School

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Solution B. The Purpose-Built Co-Location

Humberwood Downs& Holy Child

Solution C.The Eco-School

Jackman P.S.

Solution D. The Model School (Heart of the Community)

Public Art

Stonemasque Mosaics

Willow Park JPS

Somali Women and Childrens Network

Settlement Worker Public Health

Kingsview Village JS

Examples of Policies and Practices as Barriers

4. Barriers and Solutions: Board4. Barriers and Solutions: Board4. Barriers and Solutions: Board4. Barriers and Solutions: Board

• Permit criteria

• Grounds

• Pools

• Catering Facilities

Solution: review each for curriculum development potential

Examples of Policies and Practices as Barriers

4. Barriers and Solutions: Board4. Barriers and Solutions: Board4. Barriers and Solutions: Board4. Barriers and Solutions: Board

• User Fees

• Green Energy

• ARCs

Solution: review in light of the importance of community development

Provincially Controlled Barriers

a. Insufficient provincial support, broken formula

b. Local responsibility without taxation at school board

c. Huge maintenance backlog on school sites

d. Provincial incentives to dispose of “surplus” school sites

e. Separation of municipal council and school board powers

5. Barriers and Solutions: Local Govt.5. Barriers and Solutions: Local Govt.5. Barriers and Solutions: Local Govt.5. Barriers and Solutions: Local Govt.

Solutions: The Challenges

a. Strengthen local government

b. Maintain public assets for continuing public use

c. Bring taxation and decision-making together

d. Empower communities to develop themselves

e. Improve links at the local level


European Decentralization Models:Positives and Negatives

a. Local education authorities replaced school boards in 1902 (UK) Schools come under local municipal councils

b. Split system (France)School programs and staffing under the ministrySchool facilities under 3-tiered local municipal government

Positives: Municipality brings local taxes and decision-making togetherNegatives: not conducive to integrative hub development

: community development and curriculum in silos


Why a joint role for School Boards and Municipal Councils?

Community Development Planning brings the City into it

Integrating Community and Learning brings the School Board into it

Bringing the two together provides a local tax base for hub development


a. Delegated trustees from both TDSB and TCDSB(further thought needed for the French-language boards)

b. Delegated municipal councillors (but in minority)

c. Committees of the SFB would include non-voting representatives of Public Health, Food Council, Library Board, and other municipally organized agencies

d. Committees of the SFB would include non-voting representatives from parent, teacher, student, support staff, and other community-based groups

A New Joint Local Governance StructureA New Joint Local Governance StructureSchool Facilities Board (SFB) - CompositionSchool Facilities Board (SFB) - Composition

a. Responsibility to maintain school board sites and facilities

b. Responsibility for capital school board projects

c. Responsibility for hub development in all its forms

d. Proper separation of Public and Catholic trustee voting where appropriate

e. Decisions affecting program delivery to be ratified or vetoed by the school board within a reasonable period

f. Ownership of school facilities to rest with School Boards

A New Joint Local Governance StructureA New Joint Local Governance StructureSchool Facilities Board - ResponsibilitiesSchool Facilities Board - Responsibilities

A New Joint Local Governance StructureA New Joint Local Governance StructureSchool Facilities Board (SFB) - FundingSchool Facilities Board (SFB) - Funding

a. Provincial grants in support of school facilities and the Community Use of Schools (CUS) - improved

b. Major provincial upgrading program for old facilities

c. Other Ministry transfer grants for co-located services

d. Responsibility for setting facilities portion of local taxes devolved to the Municipal Tax Department for the SFB

e. Criteria established to ensure inter-Board equity in the allocation of funds for facilities and hub development

f. SFB to distribute CUS funds to local school communities

Broader membership and a broader mandate

In addition to current responsibilities

Monitoring and reporting on site conditions

Receiving and administering SFB funds for hub development

Helping incorporate community/parallel uses into curriculum

School Councils would have to becomeSchool Councils would have to becomeSchool Community CouncilsSchool Community Councils

6a. Getting from Here to There6a. Getting from Here to There

a. Short term - Convert ARC process into hub development

b. Short term - Develop hub plans in all School Councils

c. Medium - Ward-wide Parallel Use Committees (or clusters)

d. Medium - Board-wide Hub Development Committee

e. Medium - Board-City Joint Hub Planning Committee

f. Long-term - School Facilities Board

6b. Build hubs as enrolments decline6b. Build hubs as enrolments decline

a. Use ARCs to transform schools into hubs

b. Identify community development (CD) gaps that can be met

c. Identify community connections and public funding sources

d. Distinguish bridging solutions from long-term development

e. Grant high priority to schools with high CD potential

• Model Schools and their Clusters

• Other high LOI Schools

• Older Community Schools and Eco-Schools

f. Political action: Community Schools Alliance

g. Urge City of Toronto and TCDSB to do the same

7. Beyond the Fixed Hub: the next generation7. Beyond the Fixed Hub: the next generation

For new construction

The continuously evolving community hub

a. small elementary schools with small catchment areas

b. built for maximum flexibility of use

c. adaptable to small-scale demographic change

d. expands public services as school shrinks or vanishes

e. may even include housing options

f. the return of the local school is always an option

Bringing education and community Bringing education and community together in a full two-way partnershiptogether in a full two-way partnership

and protecting the public interestand protecting the public interestat the local levelat the local level

Bringing education and community Bringing education and community together in a full two-way partnershiptogether in a full two-way partnership

and protecting the public interestand protecting the public interestat the local levelat the local level



