Latest news with #LDCSB
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘We feel it builds trust': Police back possible return of School Resource Officer program
London police are welcoming new provincial legislation mandating the return of school resource officers. CTV's Reta Ismail reports. It's been four years since a controversial police-in-schools program was paused by the London Police Service (LPS), but the province is introducing new legislation that will require school boards to implement the program. The decision to pause the School Resource Officer (SRO) program was made after some found it could be a source of trauma for racialized groups. A review was launched, led by leadership representatives from the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB), the public-school board, local police services (Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, and London), and community leaders from Indigenous, Black, and people of colour communities, according to SRO Program Review Update. 'In 2021, as a result of feedback between police services, community leaders, and school boards, the program was paused until further review,' explained Inspector Pete Testa, LPS, Community Mobilization and Support. Testa said LPS fully supports having officers within the schools, 'We feel that it builds community trust, it provides support for youth, and it provides an opportunity for police to connect with the youth, and support people in vulnerable positions.' The LDCSB issued a statement to CTV News, saying, 'The LDCSB has always had an excellent working relationship with our local police services. We look forward to new opportunities to work together in collaborative ways that help our students and their families.' However, in response to an interview request regarding the return of the program, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) said, 'We will respectfully decline to comment at this time.' The proposed legislation announced May 29 would require school boards to implement a school resource officer (SRO) program, which places officers in elementary and high schools. LPS say they will be having conversations with school boards and stakeholders – when/if legislation passes.
CBC
28-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
London-area school boards get more than $260M to build 6 new schools
Six new schools will be built in the London area as the public and Catholic school boards secured nearly $267 million in funding from Ontario's Ministry of Education. The London District Catholic School Board (LDSCB) got $173 million to build three schools, including a new $100-million high school in north London, an elementary school in southwest London and another high school in St. Thomas. The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) has received $93.4 million to build three elementary schools in southwest London, north London and Thamesford. All public elementary schools and the north London Catholic high school will also have 88-space licensed child care centres. A funding breakdown of each school board and its expected student population can be found at the bottom of this story. With record-high enrolment, the London-area Catholic school board is the fastest growing in Ontario, and officials are "thrilled" with the funding that will help accommodate more students, LDCSB's director of education, Vince Romeo, said in a news release. "We continue to be focused on the needs of our students, and it shows. We are breaking student enrollment figures each year, and we continue to welcome new employees to our system each and every day," said Romeo. LDSCB added more than 1,500 students this year for a total of 27,500, along with hiring more than 1,500 employees in recent years, officials said. Last fall, both school boards asked the province for 10 new schools and an addition to an existing school as they were managing the strain of an increasing student population. Construction projects underway At the time, the Catholic board asked for about $300 million in capital funding for four new elementary and two new high schools. The Thames Valley board sought more than $130 million to fund four new elementary schools and a 207 pupil addition to West Nissouri Public School in Thorndale. The Catholic board opened St. Gabriel Elementary School in northwest London this month, with elementary schools in northeast London and the Komoka-Kilworth area in the planning stages and a new high school under construction. LDCSB also added 130 new portables over the last three school years, including 50 for the 2024-2025 school year. This latest funding from the province is part of a larger $1.3 billion investment that will create more than 25,000 student spaces and more than 1,600 new licensed daycares at 23 schools across Ontario. TVDSB now has 10 school construction projects underway that will help meet the needs of the region's growing communities, officials said in a news release on Monday. "This investment means families can access schools closer to home, in the communities where they live," said Bill Tucker, TVDSB's interim director of education. "This is about more than new buildings, it's about ensuring our students and families feel supported and connected as they grow and thrive in these neighbourhoods." How much will each new school cost? Thames Valley District School Board: Southwest London elementary school: $43.6 million for 934 students. Thamesford elementary school: $23.5 million for 479 students from junior kindergarten to Grade 4. North Central London elementary school: $26.3 million to accommodate 514 students. London District Catholic School Board:
