Education Briefs: Kootenay Lake School District developing ways to save teaching resources
By Erin Perkins
After receiving numerous letters and comments of concern over the closure of the two District Resource Centers in Creston and Nelson, the Kootenay Lake School District Board of Education will be trying to keep those resources available to teachers.
“We are in the middle of developing processes to keep the resources for teachers available to them after the District Resource Centers are closed,” said SD8 Board of Education chair, Melanie Joy, in an email interview with The Nelson Daily.
“We did hear the concerns of teachers around this decision and we will be working with them to ensure best processes are developed moving forward.”
The board decided to close the two distribution services as a way of saving money. By closing both the district will save $120,000 a year.
But those teaching resources won’t disappear. They’ll be gone through and made more efficient, said superintendent Jeff Jones in a previous interview.
SD No. 8 revamping the bus routes for September
With about 120 less students projected by the 2014/2015 school year, the Kootenay Lake school district will be re-examining their bus routes for this September.
“The bus routes are being developed from now until September and until the students arrive in September they will not be finalized,” said Joy.
During a Facilities and Transportation Committee meeting on May 2 at the Nelson Board office, SD8 director of operations Larry Brown discussed the bussing issues facing the Kootenay Lake region.
He said that there will be a consolidation of routes in Nelson, Creston and the Slocan Valley due to declining enrollments. Harrop, which now has two buses, will be down to one because that’s all they need.
Less need for buses will mean less buses and the extras will be sold, he told the committee.
The district will also begin charging parents for picking up children who live outside the catchement ride areas.
Long-time district staff honoured
The Kootenay Lake School District has recognized their long-time staff with service pins during their regular board meetings in Nelson on May 8 and in Creston on May 29.
Joan Saigeon of Prince Charles School was awarded a rare 40 year pin. For 35 years of service a pin was given to Lynda Leduc of Crawford Bay, Joe Moreira of Mt. Sentinel and Gloria Beecham of South Nelson.
The 30 year pins were given out to Les Armstrong of Adam Robertson, Janet Fleming of Crawford Bay, June Walker of Erickson, Vic Manson of Hume, John Kramar of Hume, Laurie Mannings of L.V. Rogers, Luba Hall of L.V. Rogers, Bruce Ferguson of Nelson Maintenance and Jan Woollett of Prince Charles.
The 25 year pin recipients included Donna Skopac of the Student Services department of the School Board Office, Susan Hendry of Brent Kennedy, Bill Cameron of Creston Maintenance, Melanie Skerik of Erickson, Monica Doyle of Hume, Debra Ellard of J.V. Humphries, Sandra Klan of L.V. Rogers, Val Gibson of L.V. Rogers and Tony Musa of Salmo Elementary.
Graduations start June 7 in the Kootenay Lake region
It’s that time of year again and the parents and teachers of the Kootenay Lake school district are gearing up for the graduation season.
The first graduation ceremony will be on Thursday, June 7 for Creston Homelinks at the South Creston Centre at 7:30 p.m.
There are two ceremonies on Friday, June 8.
Prince Charles Secondary will be celebrating at the Creston Recreation Centre Curling Rink at 7 p.m. and L.V. Rogers Secondary opens celebrations with the Cap and Gown at the Nelson District Community Complex at 6:45 p.m.
Saturday, June 9, the LVR Grand March is scheduled for the NDCC Arena before the Cavalcade later in the afternoon.
Salmo Secondary students will be receiving their diplomas on Saturday, June 9 at Salmo Secondary at 1 p.m.
The following week begins on Wednesday, June 13 with the REACH graduation at Hume Hotel in the Hume Room with a meet and greet from 5 to 6 p.m. and the ceremony to follow.
The Mount Sentinel graduation is a weekend affair beginning on Friday, June 15 in the school gym at 7 p.m. with the graduation ceremonies.
Then on Saturday, June 16 there is a grad banquet at the Prestige Lakeside Inn from noon to 1 p.m. and the Grad March the same day at 3 p.m. in the school gym.
The final two graduations are both on Friday, June 22. One is for Crawford Bay at the school starting at 7 p.m.
The second is at J.V. Humphries also in the school gym at 4:30 p.m.
