It looks like another judicial review is in order against the South Shore Regional School Board.
The Greater Petite Area Community Association is appealing the board’s decision to close Petite Riviere Elementary School as of July 31, 2018.
The board made the motion at their March 22 meeting.
Association Chair Stacey Godsoe says they have tried to work with the board and present solutions but they aren’t willing to explore them.
“They have a resolution on the table in the form of an offer from the minister of education of $6-million to renovate one of the schools and they have a process, a mechanism to figure that out which is the new school review process.”
She says using legal action is a last resort.
“We feel that it’s way too important. The impacts could be devastating, the costs are too high and we’re of course concerned for our larger community being deprived of an essential service.”
The school board voted in 2013 to close both Pentz and Petite Elementary schools.
Godsoe says she wants another school review completed after the policy was changed in 2014.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Scott Milner says the school board considered rescinding the 2013 decision to close both Pentz and Petite Riviere elementary schools.
“They chose not to put the community of Petite (Riviere) or Pentz, for that matter, through that process again because they feel that they have looked at all the information required and that their decision is sound.”
Milner says the 2013 decision isn’t null and void because a new school review policy was implemented in 2014.
He says he’s concerned about the financial impact another judicial review will have on the board.
The judicial review involving Bridgewater Junior-Senior High cost the school board around $150,000.
Lawyers for both sides will be in court May 16 to determine if a judicial review will move ahead and to set future court dates.