Jan. 19th School Board Meeting on School Consolidations

Meeting Reminder
North Vancouver School Board Meeting
Jan 19, 7pm, School Board Office

more info: http://www.nvsd44.bc.ca/sitecore/content/Updates/PublicBoardMeeting.aspx 


As discussed during the School Boards budget consultation process, the board for 2010/2011 is expected to cut at least a $6 million from the budget in 2009/2010. To balance the budget, while protecting the excellent education our kids receive today, the School District will need to make significant cuts across the district including a number of school consolidations and program changes.

At the December board meeting the board asked the administration to consult with stakeholder groups to review the criteria for evaluating schools and from that to prepare a list of potential schools for  consolidation. We expect the trustees will receive this list of potential schools or programs for closure in 2010-2011 at Tuesday nights board meeting and they will then decide on the next steps in the consolidation process including potentially naming the schools the Board is considering closing and starting a consolidation consultation process for each of those schools.

NVPAC has been working with the school district throughout this process to ensure parent input is included and that these significant decisions are being made with both the short and long term needs of students in mind. If the Board approves a list of specific schools to consider for consolidation,  a working group of stakeholders for each school, including PACs, will be assembled and asked to consider both potential alternatives to closures and what issues exist that need to be resolved to enable a positive transition into a consolidated school.

Parents should be aware that these consolidations and budget cuts will impact all schools in the district to differing degrees. At the end of it our hope is that we will have a financially sustainable School District where we can afford high qualty and richly diverse education for all students.

For those wishing to have input  there are 10 minutes at the beginning of all Board meetings for the public to speak (2 minutes each) on issues on that meetings agenda. Please come in advance and sign up to speak if you wish to do so. There is also time for public comment on any education topic at the end of the Board Meeting.



NVPAC will be discussing the outcome of this meeting at Thursday's NVPAC general meeting (Thursday Jan 21st, 7pm, Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre.)