School board preserves Churchill Alternative's kindergarten

Churchill Alternative School will keep its kindergarten program and remain open after months of community advocacy convinced the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to preserve the west-end school.

The board released its final west-central boundary recommendations this month, outlining changes scheduled to take effect in September 2027. The plan addresses enrolment pressures across six neighbourhood schools: Broadview, Churchill, Elmdale, Fisher Park/Summit, Hilson Avenue, and Woodroffe Avenue.

Parents had feared Churchill could face major cuts or closure as part of the review. Instead, the school will continue offering Kindergarten programming—something families viewed as essential to the school's long-term survival. Early French Immersion will also be introduced at Churchill.

"It was very stressful when we first heard about the review, but now I can say it is a good news story," said parent Lisa Stern-Casey, who has two children at the school. "You don't often hear that after a school review process."

No students currently attending the affected schools will be required to move. Boundary changes will be phased in gradually, beginning with new students entering the system, to minimize disruption for families.

The board says the revised boundaries and programming changes are intended to balance student populations and strengthen long-term sustainability across the area. Still, uncertainty remains for some parents: the board has confirmed that alternative programming will eventually be phased out. The final cohort of students was admitted to alternative schools in 2025, with the program gradually winding down over coming years.

Alternative schools within the OCDSB have traditionally emphasized collaborative learning, flexible classroom structures, and increased parent involvement. Stern-Casey said many parents remain hopeful that at least some aspects of alternative education can survive within the regular school system.