The new superintendent of schools, Bev Young, is now recommending to the Board of Trustees – Schools District #53 that the school closure consultation process be suspended and two meetings scheduled on shutting the doors at Tucelnuit Elementary be cancelled.
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On January 26, the Board enacted its school closure policy on Tucelnuit Elementary saying it was the only thing to do to save money in the district. This was after deciding that no action would be taken on its Capital Plan in other areas. The Board also told Osoyoos it would not close the secondary school located there.
That brought on an up roar from the community of Oliver and parents of students attending Tucelnuit school.
The recommendation is being made, according to Young, as funding has stabilized and management insists it can maintain all schools in the district. The fear of enrolment decline has diminished. School District #53 would then monitor statistics on enrolment closely and ensure adequate funding.
This Wednesday’s meeting of the School District will see a delegation from Save Oliver Schools committee. Trustees will also review communications from the Town of Oliver after council voted to support the parents.
The above management recommendation was confirmed by ODN after discussions with Ms. Young while she and local trustees are attending the AGM of the BC School Trustees Association at Vancouver’s Westin Bayshore Hotel.
Actual wording of the recommendation: That the Board of Education withdraw from the consultation process for the possible closure of Tucelnuit Elementary School until such time that enrolment and/or funding significantly changes. This recommendation is based on the following factors:
1. The district’s funding is stable due to the continuation of funding protection
2. The preliminary budget and staff processes provide confidence in the district’s ability to staff schools, maintain programs, and manage facilities with current funds.
3. Updated enrolment projections that include kindergarten registrations show a more favourable forecast for most schools.
Link to School District information
Earlier story below
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Funding formulas, declining enrollment, anger at the possible closure of Tuc-el-Nuit Elementary – all part of the drama of a public meeting in Oliver Tuesday in which only one conclusion can be drawn. The fight is not over yet.
About 100 people attended a forum at Park Drive Church sponsored by the Save Oliver Schools committee and they heard from three outside speakers, Mayor Pat Hampson, Ron Rachinski and local School District # 53 Trustee Tamela Edwards each with new information.
Edwards says “I’m learning.” “I apologize for supporting a motion to start the closure process. I want to tell you all, I live in Oliver too.” She says a motion to stop this process is on the agenda for the next regular board meeting next week.
If true the process could be slowed down, postponed or just thrown out. Edwards says the overall funding formula for schools in BC needs an overhaul and until that is done all the protection grants should continue. She says trustees don’t like closing schools and have a tough job when budgets need to be cut. She said School District #53 has cut 1.2 million dollars out of its budget already and the local school district management cost is one of the lowest in the province.
SOS Teachers’ Union President Ron Rachinski says the anger about funding cuts should be directed at Victoria where the funding formula is designed. He says he has been told that more money announcements are likely soon and that a new facilities grant has just been received in the amount of $520 thousand which puts a new light on the present situation.
Mayor Hampson told the crowd that Town Council support the parents of students of Tuc-el-Nuit School and have instructed that a letter be written to the Ministry of Education, MLA John Slater and the local school trustees – saying the closure of an Oliver school is not in the best interests of parents, students and the area in general. He says it sends the wrong message.
The SOS committee which has done an excellent job of gathering statistic says school population has taken a dip but all future prospects in the South Okanagan indicate a rise in school population and that closing one school to overcrowd another is foolish.