Osoyoos community centre eyed as

possible site for private high school

By ROY WOOD

The Sonora Community Centre in Osoyoos entered the world as a school and, if the folks behind a private high school initiative get their way, it could revert to that role in September.

About 150 parents, teachers, students and other Osoyoos residents gathered Thursday to hear about progress toward the creation of an independent high school to replace Osoyoos Secondary, which is scheduled to close at the end of the school year.

Spearheading the Osoyoos Community School Committee is prominent local dentist Dr. Jason Bartsch. He acted as moderator and host at Thursday’s information and “visioning” session.

He told the group that while there is still hope that the decision to shutter the school may be reversed, planning must move ahead on a private, independent school if one is to be open in September.

Bartsch said there are three key questions that parents, students and teachers have about a possible private school. Where would it be located? What would it look like? And how much would it cost?

There are only two possible locations in Osoyoos, he said, “And one of them is owned by the school board.”

The other is the site of Thursday’s meeting. “We have made a formal request (to the town) to have the Sonora Centre considered for our school. … Council will deliberate and make a decision.”

Bartsch said town council has been supportive of the private school initiative and the committee is confident council will approve the request for the community centre to become the private school campus.

He acknowledged that such a move would have impact on the many user groups at the centre. But, he said they would be “taken care of” and every effort would be made to minimize the impact.

The Sonora Centre is the town’s main recreation centre and is home to dozens of recreational programs. It has a large, well-used gymnasium and adjoining weight room and several meeting rooms on the second floor. It is also the site of the Osoyoos branch of the Okanagan Regional Library.

It is the former home of Osoyoos Elementary School, which is now next door.

Bartsch said the committee realizes that, because of the short time available, it needs to partner with some established independent school organization.

He said such a partnership would not result in any loss of local control and the local administration will insist on use of the BC Ministry of Education curriculum and BC certified teachers.

Discussions are underway with Studio 9 Independent School of the Arts in Kelowna as a possible partner.

While Studio 9 has a decidedly fine arts focus, Bartsch said the model is flexible enough that it could be adapted to the needs of an Osoyoos school. Options that have come up in the past include a golf academy and hockey academy.

Like most independent schools in BC, Studio 9 receives funding from the provincial government to a level of about half of that paid to public schools. Per-student funding in the Okanagan-Similkameen school district will be just under $7,200 this year.

If an Osoyoos school were to enter a partnership with Studio 9, or another “Category 1” independent school, it would also be entitled to the 50 per cent provincial funding. The rest of the cost would have to be covered by fund-raising or tuition fees.

At Studio 9, tuition fees start at $5,000 for the first student in a family with substantial discounts for siblings.

Bartsch said in an interview after Thursday’s meeting that tuition in Osoyoos would be lower and that one of the reasons for the high fees at Studio 9 is the high costs of theatre productions and other costs associated with their arts-focused elective curriculum.

He said he has already been approached by people in Osoyoos wanting to make financial contributions.

“The community is so in favour of seeing their kids stay here and (be) educated here in a modern education model … I think the money part is going to be the easiest,” he said.

Kicking off Thursday’s meeting was Councillor CJ Rhodes, who told the gathering that there is still a chance that the school board will change its mind and reverse the April 6 decision to close the school.

The board meets next Wednesday to give the school closure bylaw its third and final reading.

Rhodes said the town is “examining all the (legal) options, including a judicial review of the board’s decision” and a possible injunction against the closure.

He also pointed to a recent offer of a grant from the town to the school district of $350,000 a year for three years to keep the high school open. The bulk of such a gift would come from a tax levy approved in a referendum in the town and surrounding rural area.

Bartsch declined to comment when asked whether such a grant might be offered to an independent school. “It’s difficult for me to speculate on what the will of council will be.”