Trafalgar and three other district schools could be slated for closure once again
By Timothy Schafer
Four regional schools are still under consideration for closure by School District 8, including Nelson’s Trafalgar Middle School, and public opinion is once again being sought.
Although the school district is currently working on its new and revised long-range facilities plan, the current one — which is for 2016-24 — still contains considerations for closure of schools in Nelson (Traflagar), the Winlaw Elementary School, Salmo’s elementary school and Jewett School in Meadow Creek.
And an expected new funding model change from the province in 2020 could force the school district to follow down the school closure road again, an expectation that fueled the start of public consultation meetings, held last month across the region and on Feb. 5 in Nelson.
Public opinion is still being gathered as the discussion about the closures and the plan has moved online at My.thoughtexchange.com/#537341911. People can join in through a linkon the SD8 website.
This road is very familiar for some people. Over two years ago the SD8 board of trustees held a special open board meeting — after months of public consultation — where it resolved to consider several schools for closure, and passed readings one and two of a closure bylaw effective June 30, 2017 that include Trafalgar, Winlaw, Jewett and Salmo.
At the time the bylaw referenced the board’s intent to close Trafalgar and construct an addition to Blewett Elementary School and a renovation to Central Education Centre, in order to accommodate a Kindergarten-to-Grade 7 elementary configuration in the Nelson Family of Schools.
But consideration for closure was placed on hold for the schools after the province came up with the Rural Education Enhancement Fund that same month to keep rural schools open, a fund that will still be available for the 2019-20 school year.
However, it is expected that a new funding model will be coming into effect early in 2020 and that rural funding component may not be part of it.
The first round of public consultation meetings have now been completed with another round planned for June, but until early fall and barring any changes the current plan — complete with recommendations for closures — is in effect.
“A new facilities plan 2019-2029 will replace the existing facilities plan, upon resolution by the board, expected in Fall 2019, after a full, transparent consultative process with all stakeholders now underway,” read the school district’s website.
Closure versus renovation is still the reason for shutting down Trafalgar, which was constructed in 1924. Although the school currently houses almost 370 students — with 275 elementary and almost 100 secondary students — it is well below its capacity of 575.
With the exception of the school board office, which is expected to be offered for sale this year, any properties for which the board has not already resolved to sell will not be put up for sale until at least after the conclusion and approval of the long-range facilities plan
and subsequent board approval.
The board offices will move to Central School in July with the former North Shore site being put up for sale, joined by the properties in Ymir, Yahk and Retallack that are now on the market. As well, two school sites in Nelson — former AI Collinson Elementary and Gordon Sargent Elementary — could be included for sale once the new facilities plan is approved.
A company has been hired by the school district to facilitate the facilities review, including an analysis and projected enrolments.
Baragar Systems is expected to deliver the report by June 2019 that could answer the question of what is the best education for all students in the district.
Across the board
School board-owned properties include:
- 33 major land parcels and 43 buildings;
- 24 school buildings;
- two portables used for school;
- 11 operations buildings, garages or pump houses;
- one board office;
- five leases to licensed daycares or CSF (SD93).
