Memos sent to parents and guardians of all schools within the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems can be viewed below:

• Memo to Families - Notice of Motions (07/12/2019) (PDF)
• Memo to Families - ThoughtExchange Report; Phase One (02/12/2019) (PDF)
• Memo to Families - Release of Initial Information Booklet & Launch of ThoughtExchange Conversation (04/11/2019) (PDF)
• Memo to Families - Initial Advisory of School Review Process (28/10/2019) (PDF)

In the interest of informing school community discussion around the system review, the District released its Information Booklet for the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy School Systems Review on November 4.

• Information Booklet (04/11/2019) (PDF)

On November 27th, Board Trustee Winston Carter (Zone 9), along with District staff, met with the administrators and school council representatives of the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems. Preliminary information was shared with the school councils at that time. The District presentation from those meetings can be found below.

During the meeting, there was discussion on the online consultation tool being employed by the District to assist in all areas of consultation throughout the District where challenges exist with respect to geography, weather, and/or the personal schedules of individuals.

It is important to note that the information contained in the presentation below is preliminary. More detailed information gathering will occur in the coming months.

• Administrators/School Council Presentation (27/11/2019) (PDF)

The District has engaged ThoughtExchange, a Canadian company with experience in school district communications throughout North America. ThoughtExchange will help the District provide an inclusive opportunity for all members of the school communities to participate in the decision-making process, and have their ideas and thoughts considered by their peers. The overall goal is to enhance the District's communication with stakeholders; enhance the transparency of the consultation process, and to ensure all members of the school community have an equal opportunity to have a voice. This process, and information collected, will assist the Board of Trustees in determining what, if any, adjustments should be made to the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems for the 2020-21 school year.

In conjunction with other traditional public consultation tools, the District is using a new way of collecting input to ensure the maximum number of school community members are able to participate in this important discussion. First utilized for school reviews conducted during the 2018-19 school year, the District will be using ThoughtExchange as an online conversation tool. As part of the school review consultation process, we would like to get everyone's input on this question:

What are the most important things for the District to consider in reviewing the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems?

The results of this ThoughtExchange will help the District determine what, if any, adjustments should be made to the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems for the 2020-21 school year. All voices matter, so your participation is crucial and valued. Please take the time to thoughtfully participate before 10:00 p.m.(NT), Friday, November 15th, 2019.

You will be prompted to add and verify your email address, and create a password you will remember in order to participate in this online conversation. ThoughtExchange will allow you to share your own individual thoughts, consider and rate the thoughts of others, and learn what is important to the community. It will be important to not only share your thoughts, but explain why they are important, as it will help others determine if they agree. ThoughtExchange keeps confidential who shared each thought and who assigned what ratings.

The District will use the consultation tool ThoughtExchange as a means of ensuring all members of the school community have an opportunity to share their thoughts and help inform the decision-making process.

The anticipated timeline is as follows. If there is a need to make a significant change to the anticipated timelines, school communities will be advised:

• November 4, 2019 - The District will make a ThoughtExchange opportunity (Round One) available to school communities to provide input. The survey will be available until November 15, 2019.
• Late November
  • District staff will meet with school council members and administrators from all schools within the system.
  • A report on the feedback received through the online public consultation opportunity will be shared with the school communities.
  • From the input provided by the community, the District, in conjunction with ThoughtExchange, will analyze the data and work to establish a potential option or options for trustees to consider in determining whether the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems will move forward for further review.
• December 7, 2019 - At the public meeting of the Newfoundland and Labrador English School Board, trustees will determine whether the District will move forward with an option(s) for potential adjustment of the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems.

If trustees table a Notice of Motion for School Review of the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems, further input will be sought from the school communities (Round Two)

The process for the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems review will include:

• Consultation with the school councils of all schools involved (3 in total);
• An inclusive survey mechanism (ThoughtExchange) will be provided for members of the school communities to outline factors and values to be considered during the review (Round One);
• A report on the results will be provided to the school community;
• The District and ThoughtExchange will analyze the results of the survey and determine an option or options for consideration by school board trustees;
• Should trustees table a Notice of Motion for review of the Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy school systems at the December 7th, 2019 public meeting, a further opportunity for input will be provided to the school community in advance of any final decision.

It is important to note that no decisions have been made regarding any schools within this school system, and any changes to take place as a result of the review process would not be implemented until the 2020-21 school year at the earliest.

Should you have any questions about this process, please contact the Director of Schools for your school system:

Phoenix Academy and Gill Memorial Academy School Systems
(Phoenix Academy, Sandstone Academy, and Gill Memorial Academy)
Maria Antle · 256-2547 (ext. 314) · mariaantle@nlesd.ca.