By Cory Kolt
Updated November 30, 2007 - 7:34am

A 10 year plan presented to the Regina Public School Board is moving into the public consultation stage after the board voted in favor of accepting it's recommendations.

The plan, if approved at a meeting in March, would see the closure of twelve elementary and two high schools over the ten years.  Three of those closures would happen at the end of the 2008 school year.  The three schools are Herchmer Community School, Robert Usher and Stewart Russell.

Other proposed school closures include: Martin Collegiate in 2013; Ken Jenkins and Dieppe in 2010.  Either Haultain or Glen Elm in June 2012; either Connaught or Davin, either Imperial or McDermid Community School, and M.J. Coldwell in June 2014; either Gladys McDonald or Coronation Park in June 2015; and either Rosemont or Wilfrid Walker in 2017, along with Kitchener.

The plan also calls for the redesign of 11 schools and 18 program mergers.  Also homeowners would see a less than one percent increase to their property taxes.  One of the two board members who voted against the plan is Dr. John Conway.

Conway is against any form of closure or merger and feels a significant boost in taxes would see all schools remain open in our communities.

The plan also allows for the board to re-examine it every two years.  That is something one parent is grateful to see.  Others want more details about what the mergers mean and what impact it will have on the programs offered in each facility.

Public consultations will begin shortly before the plan is voted on at a meeting set for March 11th.

For those interested in seeing the plan...you can go to the Regina Public School Website at www.renewrps.rbe.sk.ca/