We the undersigned believe the only viable option available to the Lakehead District School Board to provide a long term solution to the current North Side Renewal issue is the renovation and renewal of Hammarskjold High School. This option will take advantage of the following specific characteristics of the Hammarskjold site which are unmatched in any other option available to the Board: Sufficient existing building capacity to accommodate all current students from both north side secondary schools with growth potential for the future. (The Board’s staff report indicates a surplus of 7 to 10 rooms). Undeveloped outdoor spaces on the 17 acre site provides the potential for on-site environmental education, partnerships such as community garden development to support the largest “Farm to Caf” program in the city as well as providing informal outdoor gathering spaces for students. All of these initiatives support current research into the educational and mental health values of access to natural outdoor spaces for children and youth. For reports and studies revealing evidence and documentation of the health benefits of connecting children and nature go to http://www.childrenandnature.org/learn/research-resources/ The school structure and programs have the capacity to support the existing 22 special needs students at Hammarskjold as well as the 13 students enrolled in the Pre-Workplace Program at Superior. The Board’s staff report on school closures lists a total of 135 students at Hamm as being categorized as “special needs”; however, this “includes students with identified and non-identified exceptionalities but excludes students identified as gifted”. According to the following definition of a student with special needs which is found on the Board’s website “Students age 14-21 identified with intellectual exceptionality with moderate to profound developmental delays in academic functioning and/or identified with a multi-disability. Students require a specialized program based on life skills and functional academics.” There are 22 students at Hammarskjold and none at Superior. For many special needs students, a drastic change to their learning environment would be extremely detrimental to their safety and success. The large site also provides a safe contained campus which has capacity for additional parking, bus loading and student drop-off areas and is situated beside one of the main public transportation arteries for the north side of Thunder Bay. On-site and adjacent sports fields include a cinder running track and regulation size football / soccer field, tennis courts, baseball diamond and outdoor hockey rinks. Proximity to the Red River Road business area provides students with a variety of volunteer and after school employment opportunities within walking distance of the school. These same businesses also provide partnerships for various Cooperative Education (co-op) and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP) opportunities for students. There are many other advantages which make Hammarskjold the right choice. To assist with efforts to guide the Board in its choice of options, we invite you to join the movement. Please call or e-mail members of the Board of Trustees to express your support for the Hammarskjold option. Lakehead Public School TrusteesDeborah Massaro, Chairphone: (807) 767-3673email: dmassaro@lakeheadschools.caGeorge Saarinen – Vice Chairphone: (807) 622-2565email: George_Saarinen@lakeheadschools.caMarg Arnonephone: (807) 625-9687email: marg_arnone@lakeheadschools.caEllen Chambersphone: (807) 629-1839email: ellen_chambers@lakeheadschools.caRon Oikonenphone: (807)345-1155email: roikonen@lakeheadschools.caJack Playfordphone: (807) 475-7809email: jack_playford@lakeheadschools.caTrudy Tuchenhagenphone: (807) 767-4931email: Trudy_Tuchenhagen@lakeheadschools.caKaren Wilsonphone: (807) 628-3148email: Karen_Wilson@lakeheadschools.ca