Trustees discuss long range facilities plan options

Trustees heard recommendations from senior leadership, looked at some initial costing for portables to make the various options a reality, and discussed next steps towards developing a long range facilities plan, including bringing some recommendations to the upcoming Board of Education meeting (May 19 at 6 p.m.) at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday evening.

In the light of COVID-19 and the financial implications it will have for the province, Superintendent Peter Jory commented there is a good possibility there will not be a lot, if any, money for new capital, so the district will probably be on its own to fund the changes.

He noted the cost projections show that some of the supported options from the District’s survey are the most expensive to implement.

In the Enderby area, senior leadership recommended to trustees that it remain status quo for now. “If space pressures continue we will have to revisit moving Grindrod Grade 7s to A.L. Fortune,” said Jory.

He also commented that he felt the district should move forward with articulated process and practice for expectations for a Grade 7-12 high school so that if, at some point in the future, all of the Grade 7s do move to A.L. Fortune this may help parents be more comfortable with the changes.

In the Armstrong area senior leadership put its support behind the option which maintains the middle school, so K-4 at Highland Park and Armstrong Elementary, Grades 5-7 at Len Wood Middle and Grades 8-12 at Pleasant Valley Secondary.

Jory notes this option not only has the support of the community, but projections for enrolment changes will fit within the school structure and there will not be a need for portables.

At this time, senior leadership also recommended the Sicamous and South Shuswap areas remain status quo.

The Salmon Arm school area is more complicated, with none of the proposed scenarios being the magic solution. However, Jory provided a number of reasons that the senior leadership team is opposed to two year schools, like the current Jackson and Sullivan configuration, emphasizing that it is very challenging for staff to build the critical relationships required to help students achieve their best outcomes in such a model. 

Option E-2, which is to change the Salmon Arm area to K-6 with three secondaries Grades 7-12, was less popular with stakeholders and has an estimated upfront cost of $1.5 million in portables.

Option E-3, the option to change the Salmon Arm area and feeder schools to K-7 and two secondaries, has estimated upfront costs of $2.75 million with additional portables needed almost each year after that.

Option E-4, which would change Salmon Arm schools to K-6, two Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12 at one high school will cost more than $5 million for portables in the first few years. After looking at all the options, senior leadership proposed a hybrid, which basically leaves the K-5, K-8, and 6-8 school as is, with Jackson and Sullivan converting to Grade 9-12 schools. Jory commented this option reduces one transition and fits with a minimum need for portables, likely just one per year for a 5-6 years period, a similar cost to maintaining the status quo. 

Trustees noted that adding the 9-12 option will require a thoughtful communication plan and additional consultation, which would mean more time would be needed before a final decision could be reached. 

At the meeting, trustees commented that although there are immediate decisions that need to be made, they would also like to see information regarding longer term possibilities for the 10-year LRFP. These might include a downtown elementary school for Salmon Arm, a new wing at Salmon Arm Secondary, or a high school in the Sorrento area. They also noted any of these new options would need to be shared with the public for further input.