Union says some P.E.I. schools so crowded students are in closets, under staircases

A local union leader painted a dire picture of schools grappling with increasingly tight quarters at a public meeting on overcrowding in Charlottetown schools Tuesday night.

Prince Edward Island's Public Schools Branch conducted a study earlier this summer that recommended building three new schools on the Island to alleviate the crunch. Those were a junior high in Stratford and one each in the areas around Charlottetown's West Royalty and L.M. Montgomery elementary schools. 

About a dozen people attended the first of three public meetings to gather feedback from the Charlottetown school community, including John Doucette, who has seen the capacity issue in schools first-hand. Doucette is the president of CUPE Local 1775, the union that represents custodians and maintenance workers with the school board.

"The school systems are bursting at the seams. We got kids in closets and kids under staircases and stuff like that," he said. "This is what we needed, something like this [public meeting], and hopefully the government will listen."

The meeting was held at Spring Park Elementary School, where Doucette started working when it opened in 2013. Noting that space has always been tight there, he said the room being used for the public meeting has to serve as a classroom as well as a gymnasium and concert hall. 

Calling for new schools to be built, he said there isn't enough space in some schools for students to have one-on-one time with teachers or support staff.

"Hopefully someone is going to listen to what's being said, and we'll start a process and a program and a five-year or 10-year plan with our school system," he said.

Rob Lantz, the MLA for the area and P.E.I.'s minister of housing, was also at the meeting. He said he was there to listen.

Politicians and public officials have acknowledged that P.E.I.'s rapid population growth in the past 10 years has caused stress on a lot of infrastructure in the province, including health care and housing as well as public schools.

"I certainly recognize the challenges," said Lantz. "It's an opportunity for us to modernize our school systems. We know we have to invest in our schools, in our infrastructure."

Heather Mullen, chair of the PSB's board of trustees, said getting feedback on the report is important.

"We had a small group here tonight, but this is one of many ways that we're engaging with the public," said Mullen.

She said the PSB advertised the event on social media, they emailed community groups, principals were encouraged to share details with their school communities, and emails were sent through the PowerSchool communications system.

The PSB also posted the report online and set up an email dedicated to comments from the public.

"I will also be available for small groups or municipalities or whoever reaches out for one-on-one meetings, [and I'm] interested in talking to home and schools." said Mullen. "Basically, I'll talk to anyone who wants to talk about the Charlottetown study."

Mullen said the board of trustees is planning to release formal recommendations in the next month or two, once it's had time to speak with the community.  

Two more public meetings are scheduled for the Charlottetown school community. The first is Oct. 8 at Charlottetown Rural High School, and the other is Oct. 10 at Birchwood Intermediate School. Both meetings start at 6:30 p.m.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the recommendations and ask any questions.