Paris school boundary changes under review

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

Parents and guardians of elementary school students in Paris, Glen Morris and Burford will have an opportunity to weigh in on proposed school attendance boundary changes during a virtual public meeting hosted by the Grand Erie District School Board on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

The meeting is part of an ongoing boundary review prompted by the construction of a new elementary school in north Paris, expected to open in September 2028. The proposed changes could affect attendance areas for several existing schools, including North Ward School, Paris Central Public School and Cobblestone Elementary School, as well as schools in the surrounding communities of Glen Morris and Burford.

With the initial proposal now available for public review, the school board is encouraging community feedback before recommendations are finalized. For families who have questions about where their children may attend school, transportation arrangements or the possibility of changing schools before Grade 8 graduation, the upcoming meeting provides an opportunity to have those concerns heard.

The new school, planned for an area south of Watts Pond Road and east of Pinehurst Road, will accommodate 536 students and include a 64-space childcare facility. While its construction is intended to address enrolment pressures associated with continued residential growth, establishing attendance boundaries for the new facility also requires the board to review how students are distributed among existing schools.

The initial accommodation proposal includes changes that could see some neighbourhoods reassigned to different schools, even in areas where families currently live within walking distance of an existing school.

That possibility has generated discussion among parents online, particularly around maintaining continuity for students already enrolled in local schools and the potential for longer travel distances.

Some residents have questioned why children living within minutes of one school could be reassigned to another across town. One example raised involves Banfield Street, located between Paris Central and North Ward, where residents appear to fall within a proposed attendance area for Cobblestone Elementary School in south Paris.

An online petition, which had garnered more than 300 signatures as of press deadline, is calling on the board to allow all students currently enrolled in affected Paris schools during the 2026–27 school year to remain at their existing schools until completing Grade 8, regardless of where the new boundaries are drawn.

The petition proposes that boundary changes instead be implemented for new enrolments, allowing existing students to maintain their school connections while the board accommodates future growth.

In response to questions from The Paris Independent, Ryan Strang, Grand Erie's senior manager of communications and community relations, confirmed that the proposed boundaries are not final and that community input will help shape the recommendations.

"The proposed accommodation option is intended as a starting point for community consultation and discussion. The Boundary Review Working Committee will utilize the community feedback received during the consultation to shape recommendations."

The boundary review is also intended to address enrolment pressures at existing schools and make better use of available classroom space throughout the community.

According to board enrolment figures, North Ward School currently has 514 students against a capacity of 489, operating at approximately 105 per cent capacity. Under the proposed accommodation plan, enrolment is projected to decrease to 438 students by 2028, bringing the school to approximately 90 per cent capacity.

Paris Central Public School is also operating above capacity, with 269 students enrolled in a school designed for 259. Its enrolment is projected to decline to 181 students by 2028, or approximately 70 per cent capacity.

Cobblestone Elementary School, meanwhile, has 600 students against a capacity of 720, operating at approximately 83 per cent capacity. Despite the addition of eight classrooms that opened in September 2026, enrolment is projected to decrease to 472 students by 2028 under the proposed plan.

The new north Paris school is expected to open with approximately 374 students, or 70 per cent of its capacity, with enrolment projected to grow to 457 by 2035 as residential development continues.

The review also considers Burford District Elementary School and Glen Morris Central Public School. Burford currently has 503 students against a capacity of 541, while Glen Morris has 207 students in a school designed for 176, placing it at approximately 118 per cent capacity.

The figures illustrate the varying enrolment pressures across the area, although some parents are questioning whether those challenges can be addressed without requiring existing students to relocate.

Asked why established neighbourhoods may be affected rather than limiting changes to new developments, Strang explained that school populations naturally shift over time.

"The distribution and location of Grand Erie students changes over time as communities and neighbourhoods age and students graduate, and new neighbourhoods are built. This sometimes requires a shift in existing school attendance areas to ensure Grand Erie is utilizing its student capacity efficiently and effectively.

"We are sensitive to the impacts attendance area changes can have on students and families. Past Boundary Review Working Committee recommendations have included a legacy provision to allow some existing students to remain at their current school until graduation."

That acknowledgement may be particularly relevant to parents advocating for a grandfathering provision, although the board has not confirmed whether such an arrangement will be included in the final recommendations or which students might qualify.

The Oct. 28 virtual meeting will provide families with an opportunity to learn more about the proposal, ask questions and share concerns about student transitions, transportation and the proposed attendance areas.

The board has also moved forward with the naming process for the new north Paris school. Trustees approved the proposed name Willow Grove Public School on Sept. 28, following a recommendation from the school naming committee. The name has been submitted to the Ministry of Education for final approval, a process expected to take 60 to 90 days.

With the new school still nearly two years away from opening, the boundary review offers an opportunity for families to have their concerns considered before decisions are finalized.

Residents interested in participating in the Oct. 28 virtual meeting or reviewing the proposed attendance boundary maps can find additional information through the Grand Erie District School Board's website at www.granderie.ca/board/departments/planning/paris-north. The meeting will run from 6 pm to 7:30 pm and guests can join via the Teams link on the webpage.

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