Ontario Greens Deputy Leader, wrote today to Minister of Education Paul Calandra urging him to pause the imposition of a Kindergarten to Grade 12 mega-school in Parry Sound and consider a community-supported alternative.
“The current plan is outdated, ignores the will of Parry Sound and neighbouring communities, and is already projected to be over capacity before the school even opens,” Richter wrote to Minister Calandra.
The letter emphasizes that the mega-school decision, presented over a decade ago to a previous government, fails to reflect updated enrolment projections or community input. It notes that at least six portables will be needed on day one, while closing McDougall Public School removes vital classroom space from the region.
“The community feels silenced,” the letter states. “They are watching an inadequate and inefficient plan being rigidly imposed upon them—without proper consultation or concern for current needs.”
Richter highlights a locally developed, fiscally responsible alternative: closing Nobel Public School as planned, but maintaining McDougall Public School for Kindergarten to Grade 6, and dedicating the new Parry Sound High School facility to Grades 7 to 12. “This solution is educationally sound, avoids costly portables, and respects the lived realities of students, families, and educators,” Richter said. “It provides room to grow, and it was built with local voices at the table.”
“While K–12 schools may be the right fit in other communities, that’s not the case here,” said Richter. “The Minister has an opportunity to listen to the people of the Parry Sound communities and deliver a solution that works—for students, for families, and for the future.”