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Niagara Falls
Friday, March 29, 2024
Letter: Crossroads could be used as night school for secondary students
Letter to the editor. File

Dear editor:

I was a candidate last fall for the position of trustee for the District School Board of Niagara.

Had I been successful it was my plan to restore a secondary school in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Since I was a night school principal at Niagara District Secondary School for three years, I am convinced that Crossroads Public School in Virgil could easily accommodate 400 to 500 high school students between the hours of 4 and 9 p.m.

The closing of NDSS in 2010 was clearly a huge miscalculation that has been proven every four years by the census results.

Niagara-on-the-Lake is projected to have more than 1,000 teenagers in two years’ time.

The concept of night school has been around for decades and having one at Crossroads would resolve several issues.

Night school would restore the taxpayers’, parents’ and, most importantly, the students’ right to attend a local secondary school for the four most important years of their lives.

I am certain there are local students, plus students from Niagara Falls and St. Catharines, who would prefer starting school at 4 p.m. rather than getting up at 7 a.m., riding a bus and also being able to participate in extra-curricular activities.

I am also certain there are several students, both male and female, who would like to play hockey at the high school level. I am sure the town would be more than willing to allow access to the arenas in Virgil for this purpose.

If any one would like to discuss this further please call me at 905-682-4066.

I would appreciate any input or ideas about how we can help NOTL teenagers enjoy their high school years in their home town.

Don MacDougall
NOTL

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