31 Anglophone West schools are under utilized

There are 31 schools in the Anglophone West School District that are considered under utilized based on their functional capacity, a rating that assesses the population and other costs of running the facilities.

The Anglophone West School District Education Council's plan to close two schools and consolidate two others is causing a debate on the future of small schools.

When the school district looks at whether to close a school, DavidMcTimoney, the district superintendent, said on Friday more than school population is looked at in the analysis.

The district looks at the functional capacity of the schools, which examines demographics and the average cost per student of running the facility.

"Functional capacity is relevant in that it allows comparison of space utilization on a school-by-school basis," according to a presentation that McTimoney gave on Thursday.

A school is considered to have optimum capacity if it is between 60 per cent and 80 per cent. Schools below 60 per cent are deemed to be under utilized.

The Coles Island and Bath Middle schools are two of the schools slated for closure and they have the lowest functional capacity levels in the district at 25.7 per cent and 26.5 per cent, respectively.

Using 2013 enrolment data, there are 31 schools in the Anglophone West School District, out of 74 schools, that have a functional capacity level below 60 per cent.

1. Coles Island: 19.44%
2. Bath Middle: 20.92%
3. McAdam Elementary 29.58%
4. Nackawick Middle: 30.36%
5. Gagetown School: 30.77%
6. Debec Elementary: 32.64%
7. Doaktown Elementary: 34.26%
8. Chipman Forest Avenue: 36.07%
9. Chipman Elementary: 38.54%
10. Tobique Valley High: 38.93%
11. Minto Memorial High: 39.66%
12. Donald Fraser Memorial: 40.48%
13. Florenceville Middle: 43.07%
14. McAdam High: 43.65%
15. Sunbury West: 44.04%
16. Central NB Academy: 45.54%
17. Nackawic Senior High: 45.36%
18. Millville Elementary: 45.83%
19. McAdam Avenue: 46.43%
20. Cambridge Narrows: 51.05%
21. Stanley Complex: 51.6%
22. Minto Elementary/Middle: 51.92%
23. Saint Marys Academy: 52.37%
24. Gesner Street Elementary: 52.78%
25. Andover Elementary: 53.17%
26. Summerhill Street Elementary: 54.24%
27. Southern Victoria High: 54.55%
28. Harold Peterson Middle 54.93%
29. Bath Elementary: 58.33%
30. Perth-Andover Middle: 58.93%
31. Ridgeview Middle: 59.35%