Rotary could make a partial comeback to public school classrooms in Grey Bruce next year.
A notice of motion has been introduced to the Bluewater school board that would allow principals to set up timetables so grade 7 and 8 classes receive up to one half of their instruction using a rotation of teachers with expertise in certain areas.
It would be instead of the permanent homeroom format that has been used this year.
The notice also asks that a policy be developed so that things are more defined in the future when the board holds consultation with School Community Councils.
It also asks that no further reductions to the rotary system take place until data is gathered and assessed.
Kincardine area parent Gail Walden led a delegation of parents at the May 19th board meeting to state their continued disappointment that the rotary system was reduced and how the board communicated its plans.
The parents are concerned about teachers providing instruction outside their areas of skill and expertise and how that affects classroom learning.
They claim it leads to lowered student enthusiasm for learning.
Walden says they’d like to see principals have the ability to decide if the rotary system should be restored to their schools based on if it will work for students.
The parent delegation filled the entire five-minute time slot they were given to speak and asked for more time when it was up, but the request was denied.
Lesa McDougall of Bluewater Citizens for Education was outraged by the time limit decision.
She is also disappointed with the review process that is underway of board communication methods and policies.
She says from the beginning, her organization wanted a full public inquiry conducted by an unbiased third party and that hasn’t happened.
McDougall says the board has identified communication is the central issue, and if that is true, then how the delegation timing was handled shows the board isn’t listening to concerned parents.
Johnstone says her motion was a team effort, and all trustees were involved in developing it.
She says it would allow for schools to restore the rotary system for a partial day.