Board Meeting Follow-up with significant announcement

At Tuesday’s (Nov 25) board meeting, they released a framework said they would look at enrolment solutions from a sector perspective and would consult more with stakeholders, including parents and the city. We’re not sure how the sector approach differs from the previous approach, but we think it is positive that the board will consult more with stakeholders. We’d like it to go further, however. The school board should coordinate with the city, not just consult. Parents and schools need flexibility to address enrolment as well, such as the ability to offer magnet programs like French immersion. Holyrood School, for instance, has French immersion but turns students away. There is demand for this program in Capilano and adjacent communities, but the school board denied our school the option of looking at French immersion. Of course, French immersion is just one magnet program. Others could include and IB program, or an all boys stream such as the Nellie McClung program for girls.

Edgar Schmidt did say they would make no closure announcements this year, but this may be a little hollow. It’s likely already to announce a closure for the 2009.10 school year. Our school is still part of the review.