Schools staying open

Photo: Contributed

The North Okanagan Shuswap school district's official trustee has made it clear that two schools will not be closing after all. 

With money tight, district officials and the former school board discussed closing Armstrong Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary in Salmon Arm earlier this year, but increased enrolment and additional funding since then will allow the schools to stay open.

Trustee Mike McKay put a hold on all decisions until he had time to review the situation when he was appointed to the district after the board was removed last June.

Additional funding that has been provided to the district through the return of administrative savings, new transportation funding and the district now being out of funding protection has eased pressure on the budget.

McKay said closures are a legitimate, but serious strategy which can be used to deal with dire circumstances.

"This decision is not saying no closures ever. It is saying because of circumstances, it is off the table now,” said McKay.

A number of other initiatives were passed by McKay including:

• further investigation of the proposed K-12 school in Sicamous;
• a study be completed looking at the education impact on students who are in three and four grade splits in order to ensure that such classrooms have the resources and the capacity to provide quality experiences to the wide age and agility range of learners;
• establishment of a task force to explore ways to reduce the number of transitions in the Salmon Arm area; and,
• a comprehensive district review be completed by December 2017 that will address demographics, school configurations and catchment areas.