It was an almost-packed home at a faculty board assembly within the South Okanagan on Tuesday night time.
Usually, only a few folks, if any, attend such gatherings. Nonetheless, with potential college closures and shuffling being mulled, the particular assembly held at College District 67 headquarters in Penticton was very nicely attended.
Finally, College District 67 is the potential for closing three colleges in Penticton and Summerland as a part of its long-range services plan.
The particular assembly not solely attracted native residents, however Penticton’s mayor, Julius Bloomfield, in addition to native MLA Dan Ashton and RDOS space administrators.
The assembly, although, wasn’t a chance for involved residents to voice their opinions or issues. Fairly, it was a presentation of data by Superintendent Todd Manuel to the college board’s trustees.
“The main focus of the long-range services planning course of is to make sure the district is managing its college services in an environment friendly method as a way to ship and maintain academic packages to our college students on the highest potential customary,” reads the opening assertion of SD 67’s notes bundle.
“As a consequence of inefficient use of college area (capability), the district faces annual, unfunded inflationary value pressures of over $1 million. These monetary pressures lead to a discount in packages and companies to college students on a year-after-year foundation.”
Based on the district, pupil enrolment has decreased 36 per cent since 2001 and is predicted to not change considerably over the following 20 years.
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Penticton colleges are at a mixed 82 per cent capability, whereas Summerland is at 69 per cent. It provides that the Ministry of Schooling’s pointers establish 95 per cent as a facility’s utilization goal.
“The district is projecting minimal development in pupil enrollment over the following 10 years (a variety of 160 to 300 college students in complete over the 10-year interval),” reads the doc, which says projections are primarily based on a number of sources.
Consequently, college district workers have really helpful shifting in direction of an elementary-secondary college mannequin, which might imply closing three elementary colleges and taking away center colleges completely.
“It’s a really delicate subject, and we don’t take these conversations flippantly,” stated Supt. Todd Manuel throughout Tuesday’s assembly.
The advice outlined modifications to the College District’s three college households: Summerland, Penticton North and Penticton South.
Summerland Household of Colleges
Giants Head Elementary would shut and Summerland Center College would change into Summerland Elementary College from Kindergarten to Grade 6.
Summerland Secondary would change into Grades 7-12.
Penticton North / Penticton Secondary Household of Colleges
Carmi Elementary College could be shut down and KVR Center College would change to KVR Elementary College from Kindergarten to Grade 7.
The remaining elementary colleges would transition to a Kindergarten to Grade 7 mannequin.
Penticton South / Princess Margaret Secondary Household of Colleges:
Parkway Elementary College would shut, and Skaha Lake Center College would change into Skaha Lake Elementary College from Kindergarten to Grade 7.
Columbia Elementary would additionally transition from the Princess Margaret Secondary household of faculties again to a Penticton Secondary feeder college.
The closures wouldn’t happen till the 2025-26 college yr and the complete transition is predicted to take round three years to finish. The capital prices to transform center colleges to elementary colleges would value roughly $3 million.
Based on workers, the proposed college closures would save an estimated $1.5 million annually on an annual foundation, on the low aspect.
On Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to maneuver the idea ahead to dialogue at an upcoming assembly on Thursday.
If the board decides to maneuver ahead once more with consideration of the plan, will probably be mentioned on the Jan. 31 repeatedly scheduled board assembly.
Afterwards, the board will resolve whether or not to ship the matter to intensive public session for 60 days earlier than the board receives suggestions and makes any ultimate choices.
No ultimate choices have been made concerning the proposed modifications presently.
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