Ferndale Woods Elementary School in Barrie has received new portables for the approximately 50 students who will be arriving in September as the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) expands its Elementary Congregated Gifted Programming.
Currently, Codrington Public School is the only public elementary school in Barrie where the program is offered in a congregational setting, noted Chris Samis, superintendent of student achievement (kindergarten to Grade 6) and special education with the public board.
That is set to change in September, he confirmed, as the board adds a new elementary gifted program at Ferndale Woods. This will provide additional spaces for gifted students in the Barrie area, in addition to the existing programs at Codrington and Cookstown Public School.
“We have seen the interest in gifted programming grow in the last number of years, both in parents reaching out for their children, having the opportunity to be able to be screened for gifted, and/or attending a gifted program,” Samis told BarrieToday.
According to Samis, about 50 per cent of students who are screened and identified as gifted apply to be in a gifted program, while the other half opts to stay in their home school where they are able to participate in gifted programming, but simply do so in a regular classroom placement.
“We have seen a growth in the demand for the program," he said, adding the board looks at projections over multiple years. "Where do we see growth in enrolment? Where do we see growth in interest?"
In the past two years, the board has added two gifted programs. This includes one in Bradford, which is set to expand to include Grades 5 to 8 in the fall, and the second being this expansion at Ferndale Woods in Barrie.
“Up to this point, all elementary gifted students went to Codrington. As the city continues to grow and the demand continues to grow, there was a need to look at how we would expand the program,” Samis said.
That included looking at ways to realign boundaries to ensure students would be able to attend their home secondary school, as well as how it would work from a transportation point of view and how it would impact families.
Ferndale Woods, located on Ferndale Drive near Ardagh Road, made the most sense when looking at area schools that could best accommodate the program, Samis said.
While a variety of factors were considered, two key considerations included where there was space available and where did the board see stable enrolment numbers.
“A big part is where can we actually fit it," Samis said. "The city and all the schools are bursting at the seams, so space is at a premium at every one of our schools.
"It was a school that had available space and a stable population,” he added. “We are excited to add that. It’s going to add a full program. Starting in September, there will be Grade 4 to Grade 8, so we will be adding a couple of portables to Ferndale."
Another change coming to the program is the move from nominations to a universal screening process, said Samis. The goal is to make it more equitable and ensure all students have opportunities to access the program.
In 2022-23, the board screened approximately 1,000 students based on those who were nominated. This year, he said, the board began screening every student to make sure no one was missed.
This change will not only assist in pinpointing students who are gifted, he said, but can also help identify students who may be struggling and then puts them on the radar to receive appropriate supports.
“It’s a nice multi-dimensional screening tool that allows us to, initially, make sure we don’t miss any students who do have an identification of gifted, but it (also) allows us to go deeper and make sure we don’t miss any students at all with respect to what they need," Samis said.
The new program at Ferndale Woods will support elementary-aged students identified as gifted who live in the southern part of Barrie, including Algonquin Ridge, Allandale Heights, Ardagh Bluffs, Assikinack, Ferndale Woods, Hewitt’s Creek, Holly Meadows, Hyde Park, Mapleview Heights, Trillium Woods, W.C. Little, Warnica, and Willow Landing.
As of September 2024, the existing elementary gifted program at Codrington Public School will now support students in the area around northern Barrie, including Andrew Hunter, Codrington, Cundles Heights, Emma King, Forest Hill, Guthrie, Hillcrest, Johnson Street, Maple Grove, Minesing Central, Oakley Park, Portage View, Shanty Bay, Steele Street, Terry Fox, W.R. Best Memorial, and West Bayfield.
