People concerned about the future of Kwalikum Secondary School are on edge about tonight’s (Jan. 25) School District 69 (Qualicum) Board of Education meeting, over proposed changes to the school closure policy.
“We are going to request that they make a policy about making policies,” said Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek, one of two politicians who contacted The News with concerns about rumours the school board is trying to sneak in a policy that will make it easier to close the school (KSS).
“I am supportive of the board and trustees, but we need to be looking for other solutions,” said MLA Scott Fraser, who said he hadn’t seen the proposed changes, but had been contacted by concerned residents.
Judi Ainsworth, CEO of the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce, circulated an e-mail pleading with parents and residents — “For the love of all our schools in SD69, Please take heed of this! Read it and please take time to email/write to your Trustees before Monday! Tuesday night’s school board meeting could be it!”
The possible closure of KSS has been a hot topic since is was recommended as the best option for dealing with declining enrolment by a report last October.
The proposed changes that are upsetting people include reducing the minimum length of the process from four to two months and removing a required consideration of the impact on students, families and the community of the facility to be closed, among others.
“This is first reading only, until we put it out there people wouldn’t even know about it and can’t comment on it,” said school board vice-chair Jane Williams, who said the purpose of the amendments is the opposite to how people are taking it.
She said the changes are minor and generally meant to “allow more public meetings and open up the process.”
For example the proposed amendment does remove the wording that they must “take into consideration the extent of the potential impact on students, families and the community,” but it replaces it with the wording that they must “follow a process that provides adequate time and opportunity to consult with those who will be impacted by any closure ...”
The two and four months are also mentioned, but the existing policy states that staff and other partner groups must be informed of a school closure at least four months before it happens, while the proposed amendment says they must “initiate a comprehensive public consultation process of no less than 60 days.”
Concerned residents say they are worried that the first reading, scheduled for tonight, is jumping right to the end of the process and is basically a done deal without any of the initial steps it is supposed to take in getting there.
Williams said the proposed amended policy — like any school board policy before it reaches the board table — has been through their policy committee which includes parent advisory and union representatives and that tonight is just the first public step in a slow process.
“These things move very slowly,” she said calling it more of a housekeeping item to keep the local policy in line with the provincial Ministerial order.
writer@pqbnews.com