The concerns about the Bluewater school board’s TRAIL elementary program is not going away.
The public school board is looking at reductions to the program (TRAIL — To Realize Advanced and Independent Learning) for gifted students.
Board Vice Chair Jan Johnstone says they didn’t adequately consult parents through the Special Education Advisory Council about the drastic change.
Trustee John Chapman says there was a breakdown in communication in how the program was supposed to work and how it was actually applied at the school level.
Chapman says there were also communication problems when the decision was made to reduce the program and in the role teachers were supposed to play in delivering the program.
Based on testing, 535 students — 30 per cent of those tested in the Bluewater board — are identified as gifted.
The provincial average is 13 per cent.
The TRAIL program will continue provide testing for all Grade 4 students, as well as special instruction for Grades 5 and 6.
Grade 7 and 8 students will receive support in the regular classroom setting.
No changes have been made to TRAIL at the secondary level.