The petition has reached over 2,500 signatures and this topic is gaining media attention. With the trustee vote still weeks away, we need to maintain momentum. Here's how you can help:

• Email decision-makers through the Concerned Parents of Ottawa site, which includes a function to easily send your message to trustees and relevant officials at the federal, provincial and municipal levels
• Stay up to date with the Concerned Parents of Ottawa site, which is intended to help those who oppose the proposed program changes mobilize and advocate
• Complete the survey – trustees have indicated they're reviewing this feedback and want to hear directly from students
• Spread the word – share the petition, website, and news articles. Most importantly, share what this means to you.

Why these changes matter: These proposals are affecting families across the board in multiple ways:

• Tearing families apart – With the proposal of the K-3 and 4-8 grade configuration models, some parents are facing not only the dismantling of their current school community, but also the separation of siblings and the challenging logistics of having young children at different schools.
• Logistically problematic – Many families will go from walking to school to requiring transportation of 1.6+ km, completely contradicting the stated goal of creating "community schools" when children can no longer attend schools in their own neighbourhoods.
• Creating inequity – Some boundary changes would result in socioeconomic segregation, pushing children from lower-income neighborhoods out of schools in higher-income areas.
• Eliminating needed programs – The proposal would end alternative programs and 39 specialized program classes without plans for how students can be supported in mainstream classrooms. Many parents have attested to how essential these programs have been to their child’s success, and that this hasty decision will result in more disruptions and fewer supports for all students.

The irony is devastating – a review that was supposed to improve equity and access and strengthen community schools is instead tearing communities apart, increasing transportation burdens, eliminating vital programs, and creating new inequities. These proposals fail everyone: students, families, teachers, and the communities.