232601
232884
Salmon Arm  

About face on schools

Parents in the North Okanagan Shuswap school district are holding their collective breath, hoping that motions that could have led to the future closure of a number of schools will be rescinded next week.

In a briefing note to District 83's official trustee Mike McKay, who was appointed by the education minister, staff are recommending no school closures at this time.

Over the past year, parents have faced the possibility that Armstrong Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary in Salmon Arm could be shut down. As well, there had been plans to create a K-to-12 at Eagle River Secondary in Sicamous with the closure of the local elementary school.

However, since the firing of the previous board, the district has:

  • reported an operating surplus of $1.4 million
  • seen enrollment numbers jump by 147 full-time students

It means “the district is now out of funding protection and enrolment appears to be increasing,” according to Nicole Bittante, the district's secretary-treasurer.

“It's been a year of up, down, up, down,” said Jamie Schrauwen with Armstrong Elementary's parents advisory committee.

She admitted parents were exhausted with efforts to save the schools but they would be attending the Dec. 13th board meeting.

“Not only are we exhausted but in another way we parents are very proud of what we've accomplished.”

It is recommended the official trustee take previous motions off the table:

  • by ending the school closure consultation period for Armstrong Elementary, with no recommendation to close a school in Armstrong at this time
  • by ending the school closure consultation period for Silver Creek Elementary, with no recommendation to close the school at this time

The report also calls for further discussions on a K-to-12 education program in the Sicamous area.

Meanwhile, a catchment area review of M.V. Beattie, Grindrod Elementary and Ranchero Elementary in Enderby is expected to be completed in December, 2017.



More Salmon Arm News

233021