Update on Armstrong reconfiguration

Members of the Armstrong Zone Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) Reconfiguration Working Group met for the first time on Tuesday, October 26 at Pleasant Valley Secondary School.

Discussion included a review of the Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) process and the “B-4” decision for the Armstrong Zone, approved by the Board of Education on May 19, 2020. The LRFP “B-4” involves reconfiguring the schools in the Armstrong Zone to Kindergarten to Grade 4, Grades 5-7, and Grades 8-12 configuration by changing Armstrong Elementary School and Highland Park Elementary to K-4 schools and Len Wood to a Grade 5-7 middle school. Pleasant Valley (PVSS) would be Grades 8-12. Assistant Superintendent Ryan Brennan also provided a review of enrolment data and projections for the Armstrong Zone.

VIEW CURRENT SD83 DATA AND PROJECTIONS FOR ARMSTRONG AND SALMON ARM

Further discussion included school catchment areas, a lack of affordable housing in the Armstrong area, and an increase in people moving to the area from Vernon and the Lower Mainland. Director of Operations Travis Elwood provided an update on the gymnasium at PVSS and noted that this project is of high priority to the province.

The timeline for implementation of “B-4” was reviewed and Brennan noted that due to COVID-19 and decreased enrollment, there is more time to make this decision and move forward with a plan. The working group plans to meet again in early December.