Parents and community leaders are taking a stand over schools in Enderby and Grindrod.
About 100 people attended an open house held by the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District Thursday to discuss potential changes to facilities.
“There is zero support to close Grindrod,” said Kim Anker, Grindrod Elementary parents advisory committee chairperson.
“The community is hard to grow without a school.”
Anker added that the elementary school has steady enrolment at 73.
“It will be a hard fight to close the school,” she said.
Some suggestions from parents to keep Grindrod open are rerouting Ashton Creek children from M.V. Beattie Elementary to Grindrod and considering French immersion.
Other options being proposed by the school district are converting Enderby’s M.V. Beattie Elementary to kindergarten to Grade 5 and reconfiguring A.L. Fortune Secondary to Grades 6 to 12.
Anker says most parents from all schools were opposed to Grade 6 and 12 students in one facility.
“There was the suggestion of Grades 7 to 12 which would ease the pressure at Beattie and not take too many students from Grindrod,” she said.
While enrolment may be down in other communities, Mayor Greg McCune says the district needs to revisit the proposal for Enderby.
“We’re the exception to the whole plan. There are higher than normal numbers at Beattie (300),” he said.
“We have a lot of young children.”
And while Grindrod is not in city boundaries, McCune says the school there should stay open.
“They didn’t build a case for closure of Grindrod. There are young families moving out there,” he said.
The school district is looking at its facilities because of a projected shortfall of $3.6 million over the next three years.
“We were able to present our challenges,” said trustee Chris Coers of Thursday’s meeting.
However, Coers admits that the proposal is drawing criticism.
“It’s quite clear the community doesn’t support closure of Grindrod,” she said.
In recognition of the school district’s financial plight, parents made some suggestions to save money, including bus fees, a four-day school week and reducing administration.
“It’s always helpful to hear from stakeholders,” said Coers.
Changes are also being considered in Armstrong, including closing Len Wood Middle School and one of the two elementary schools, and reconfiguring Pleasant Valley Secondary School to Grades 6 to 12 between 2017 and 2019.