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Home My WebLink AboutINS-14-057 - School Pedestrian Safety - J W Gerth Public School Staff Rep►�►r I r Infrastruc�ture5ervrresDepartment wvwuukitchenerra REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: June 9, 2014 SUBMITTED BY: Justin Readman, Director, Transportation Services PREPARED BY: Ronald Schirm, Supervisor of Crossing Guard WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 4 DATE OF REPORT: May 15, 1014 REPORT NO.: INS-14-057 SUBJECT: School Pedestrian Safety J.W. Gerth Public School RECOMMENDATION: That the Adult Crossing Guard Facility be installed on a temporary basis for a period from September 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016 on Apple Ridge Drive at Pine Valley Drive. BACKGROUND: The Waterloo Region District School Board has conducted a Boundary Study of the Doon South subdivision. The extensive study was conducted to establish the boundary for the new school on Groh Drive, scheduled to open in September 2016, as well as to address the overcrowding at both Brigadoon Public School and JW Gerth Public School. Affected Schools in the Study Area are: 1 Brigadoon Public School Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 school on Caryndale Drive 2 Doon Public School Grade 7 and 8 School on Doon Village Road 3 J.W. Gerth Public School Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 school on Apple Ridge Drive 4 Pioneer Park Public School Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 school on Upper Canada Drive As a result of the study the following changes have been made: 1. Offer Junior Kindergarten to grade 4 only at J.W. Gerth Public School, effective September 2014 until the new South Kitchener (Groh Drive) school opens (tentatively September 2016) 2. Offer Grades 5-8 at Doon Public School, effective September 2014 until the new South Kitchener (Groh Drive) school opens and direct all Grade 5 and 6 students within the 2013/14 J.W. Gerth Public School boundary to Doon Public School 3. Establish interim Development Areas and assign JK-6 students to Pioneer Park Public School and 7-8 students to Doon Public School All Student Safety Patrollers who serve in the region are at least grade 5. Students in the more junior grades do not have the cognitive ability to perform the required duties and have the 5 - 1 necessary judgment capabilities. As a result J.W. Gerth Public School will not have students old enough to be student safety patrollers for the 2014—2015 and 2015 —2016 School Years. REPORT: J.W. Gerth Public School is located on Apple Ridge Drive in Ward 4. At present, it is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 school with a student population of 715 students. The school is part of the 40 km/h school zone pilot project (INS 13-017). Apple Ridge Drive has a speed limit of 40 km/h from the end of the public roadway west of the school to about 200 metres east of the school. Apple Ridge Drive is a minor collector road. There are student safety patrol locations on Apple Ridge Drive at Pine Valley Drive and at Woodfield Street. Traffic studies have been conducted on Apple Ridge Drive every year since the opening of the school, in September 2008. Each study, including the most recent, undertaken in March 2014, indicates that an adult crossing guard is not warranted. There is significant crossing activity at both locations, with more than 100 students crossing Apple Ridge Drive at Pine Valley Drive before and after school. In September 2014 a temporary re-alignment of boundary areas of J.W. Gerth, Pioneer Park, Brigadoon and Doon Public Schools will see J.W. Gerth School become a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 4 school for two school years. Student Safety Patrollers are as a rule drawn from the grade 5 and 6 classes, where the students are old enough to have the skills necessary to assist students in crossing roadways at designated points. Students younger than that simply do not have the cognitive skills in order to make the necessary judgements. In discussions with staff at the Waterloo District School Board it was determined that some sort of crossing assistance needs to be maintained until such time as the school has Grade 5 and 6 students in the school population again. The most effective way is to consolidate the crossings on Apple Ridge Drive at Woodfield Drive and on Apple Ridge Drive and Pine Valley Drive at one location and that an adult crossing guard is provided as an interim measure. The parent council of the school and staff at the school agreed with this approach. In meetings with school staff, parents and Waterloo District School Board staff, Transportation Services staff were clear in that the adult crossing guard would be a temporary measure and that when grade 5 and 6 students are available again the location would be evaluated for the most appropriate crossing assistance. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: This initiative falls under the Community Priority of Quality of Life. "Work with partners, including all orders of government, to create a culture of safety in our community." FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost of the adult crossing guard for the period from September 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 is approximately $3000.00, including wages and fringe benefits. This is an unbudgeted expense which will be reflected in the actual 2014 results for the Transportation Services Division. There is no cost for school crossing installation as the school crossing on Apple Ridge Drive and Pine Valley Drive is already fully installed. 5 - 2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Staff has been working with staff and parents at J.W. Gerth School and the Waterloo Region District School Board in determining and implementing the most effective facilities for school pedestrian safety. The school will inform the school community of the impending temporary changes, subject to Council Approval. Transportation Services will be providing J.W. Gerth Public School with an updated electronic version of the School Route Map prior to the start of the 2014-15 School Year which will include identifying the temporary elimination of the student safety patrol location on Apple Ridge Drive at Woodfield Drive and the installation of the adult crossing guard facility on Apple Ridge Drive and Pine Valley Drive, including Crossing Guard Duty Times, as well as other information regarding Active Transportation and parking around the school. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department 5 - 3 Figure 1: Doon South Study Area AM �wq ull�'illl�l, II !iiil, �I id I' � � w I Legend 14 Boundaries rII�1�j�7�ryYjM'�y�1�j�1�j r BfGga race P S. J w GeOh p.v.. Ipop)eer Fla rw K'+5. Dom IFr.:S. 5 - 4 Figure 2: Interim Junior Kindergarten — Grade 4 Boundaries uuu�� III II ,I � I l !!I'ii lei 4 VI it II iL;ab 1� 81111111111111111"�� ° Legend 2013114 Boundaries Interim Option FJK4 Boundaries rymm�pympypym�mpyllmlllll3III�I Brigadoon P.S. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII J W.Gerth P.S. km Pioneer Park P.S. O 0.5 Deve lopm ent Area(to Pioneer Park P.S.) 5 - 5 Figure 3 Interim Grade 5 - 6 Boundaries III II f( II y T Legend III III 201 M4 Boundaries Interim Option F 5-6 Boundaries Brigadoon P_S. — Doon PS. km Pion eer Park P.S. Area(to Pioneer Park P.S.) 5 - 6 Figure 4 Interim changes to School Crossings at J.W. Gerth Public School a i J.W. Gerth Public School ° t y , Student Safety Patrol Location to be eliminated Proposed Interim � Adult Crossing Guard School Crossing 5 - 7