Board votes unanimously to keep all Wildflower students at Central School location
By Nelson Daily Staff
Following weeks of back-and-forth discussion, the Kootenay Lake School Board voted unanimously to keep all Wildflower students at its current Central School location.
The decision came during a Special Open Board Meeting on May 5, 2021, when the board voted beginning in the 2021-22 school year to keep Wildflower School Nelson from Kindergarten to Grade 9 at Central Building on Stanley Street.
For weeks the two sides appeared to be entrenched in their respective positions — Wildflower parents asking for more space to keep the entire range of students under one roof at Central School while the Kootenay Lake District was saying there was not enough room for all grades, forcing the relocation of Grades 7-9 to Trafalgar Middle School.
“We are grateful that the decision was reached to keep Wildflower in its current location as a K-9 school,” said Wildflower parent Kelly Peloso, who has a son in the Wildflower program.
“We are satisfied with this decision, and relieved that the resolutions are worded in such a way that we should not have to revisit this,” Peloso added.
“But to be very clear, the process to be heard was arduous, time consuming, vulnerable, frustrating and emotional.”
Peloso said parents found out the day of a special May 4 meeting that new resolutions had been proposed by Kootenay Lake School Board.
Wildflower parents thought they would need to continue push the board to keep all students together.
However, board voted unanimously to support Wildflower program at the Central School location.
“This felt like a very sudden turn-around and change of heart from the District Administration,” Peloso explained.
“It was the only meeting that felt like a true back and forth dialogue happened.”
“Each of the trustees spoke to what they had learned about Wildflower and how staying intact in one location is central to what we do,” Peloso added.
“This was very validating to hear.”
The moves by the Kootenay Lake School Board to keep Wildflower at the Central building location include:
- Wildflower School Nelson shall be Kindergarten to Grade 9, located at Central Building, and student enrolment will be capped at 168;
- Wildflower School Nelson’s enrolment has expanded to requiring seven classrooms in the Central Building;
- The classroom on the Main Level that is currently being used as a library and multi-purpose space shall be renovated and enlarged, and shall be used as a classroom commencing the 2021-2022 school year;
- the area on the Lower Level currently being used as a classroom by one of the middle years’ classes shall be discontinued as a classroom;
- a learning commons area that is suitable for use as a library, breakout space and other multi-purpose uses shall be created by renovation of the current changerooms behind the stage in the gym, such work to be completed simultaneously with the planned renovation to build additional washrooms in that area.
Peloso said the fight to keep students at Central was an emotional journey for all parents involved.
However, she said the parent group is proud of the support received from the Nelson community.
“I hope this leads to improved communication and true engagement and dialogue from the district in the future, and that moving forward, positive relationships can be built in this shared space; there is so much potential to learn from each other,” Peloso said.
“We are grateful that the decision was reached to keep Wildflower in its current location as a K-9 school,” said Wildflower parent Kelly Peloso, who has a son in the Wildflower program.
