The Simcoe County District School Board held the first of six accommodation review committee public meetings Thursday night in Wasaga Beach.

Officials said the meeting started the clock ticking on a 180-day timeline, at the end of which the committee will be required to submit a recommendation on what, if anything, to change about five high schools currently under review.

The 46-member committee is reviewing high schools in Stayner, Collingwood, Elmvale, Midland and Penetanguishene.

The committee is tasked with assessing the value of the school to each community and whether or not the schools meet the needs of the students.

About 70 people were in attendance at last week's meeting.

Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Patterson and members of the Whitfield family (long-time pharmacists in Elmvale) made scheduled delegations.

The second hour of the meeting was designated to question and answer.

Many people in attendance talked about the value and successes of small schools and asked that existing schools not be closed to allow another community to build one.

While Elmvale and Wasaga Beach residents appeared to go head-to-head following the delegations, they also professed respect for each other's communities and wished each other would end up with a high school of their own.

Accommodation review committee members have toured four of the five schools in question and have had four meetings.

Beginning in the fall the committee - made up of principals, teachers, students, politicians and business owners - will meet twice per month. They will submit a recommendation to school trustees in May 2009.

Trustee Brad Saunders reminded attendees that regardless of the recommendation, and the decision of trustees, the Ministry of Education will make the final decision.