Jewett Elementary supporters not being heard says RDCK Area D Rep
By Brendan Quinn
The School Board’s facilities plan is ruffling a few feathers in rural areas of the district, including Meadow Creek, where the closure of Jewett Elementary School has locals concerned about the future quality of education in the area.
As the public meetings continue to move forward, the Board has strongly encouraged feedback from concerned parents, but some feel as though their concerns and feedback have gone un-noticed, or at least unacknowledged.
“We put the proposal together and submitted it before the deadline to the first input period and there’s been no comment, no feedback there’s been nothing,” said Aimee Watson, Regional Director for Area D.
“Then at the May 3rd meeting our trustee basically moved forward with the plan as is.”
Last week during a meeting at W.E. Graham in Slocan, supporters gave it to the board over the potential closing of Winlaw Elementary School.
As it currently stands, the plan calls for the closure of Jewett Elementary, and the moving of students to a portable at the Lardeau Valley Hall.
However, Watson states that there are many issues with this, including a decrease in quality of learning for the children and the loss of an educational centre that is used for early years programs like Strong Start, which actually doubles the stated enrolment of 15 children.
“The utilization, when you include the early years program, doubles, but that’s not included in any of their planning. It’s specifically referring to the enrolment of the children in the school system,” Watson said.
“What hasn’t been looked into is what happens to all those other programs when they close Jewett. There’s no room at the LVH at all.”
Watson also said that the Lardeau Valley Hall is currently fully utilized, as it is used as an emergency operation centre under contract for two different organizations, as well as a campground and the hall itself, which is used by the public.
Watson’s proposal suggests that the board should focus on taking advantage of and utilizing the building they already have — Jewett Elementary School.
“The only option available it to keep the school open and maximize the utilization and don’t enforce the FCI, the actual budget on Jewett is about $30,000 deficit a year,” Watson said.
“That’s actually really good for a school, schools aren’t meant to be money makers and this is a rural school the fact that they’re pulling off a budget like that with 15 children when they don’t account for the rest of it is actually quite good.”
The school board has responded to these concerns and assured The Nelson Daily that they are indeed looking at every piece of public feedback and factoring it in to the plans and that response are rolling out, generally to PAC’s and Principals, as they are prepared.
“Parents in Meadow Creek and other communities with considerations of school closure can rest assured that all trustees have received and are receiving all emails sent to facilities@sd8.bc.ca and the .consult@sd8.bc.ca email addresses,” said Kim Morris, Secretary-Treasurerfor SD8.
“Staff is working to prepare responses for trustee review, to as many questions as it can, given current workloads and myriad of emails coming into the district.”
Morris said that the Board has been in contact with Lardeau Valley Hall regarding the potential portable and that their staff is preparing to meet with the hall society to discuss the current proposed scenario in more depth and to discuss concerns regarding its implementation.
The outcome of this meeting will be presented to the trustees, and other planned meetings between local government, the Lower Kootenay Band and trustees is planned to discuss the facilities plan, consideration of closure and alternatives, Morris said.
