The School District 27 (SD27) trustees and staff faced some strong opposition from parents at a March 10 meeting regarding the potential reconfiguration of Lac la Hache Elementary School.
Board chair Wayne Rodier, secretary treasurer Bonnie Roller, Zone 2 (area) Trustee Pete Penner and superintendent Diane Wright presented the district's rationale for reconfiguration that would see a Grades K-3 primary school remain, with Grades 4-7 bused to Mile 108 Elementary.
Then they asked for ideas and feedback before the board makes a decision on April 12, and received an earful from the more than 30 parents who attended.
Emotions ran high from all of those who spoke against the idea of splitting the school population and busing the Grades 4-7 students to a new school with new teachers and new peers.
While some calmly asked questions, most of the parents were strongly against the idea, many to the point of anger and tears.
Some of that passion resulted in criticism directed at the trustees, and after the meeting, Penner said that was the reason they were reluctant to answer some questions on the spot.
He added the board would answer each question, either personally or as a released statement.
Despite Rodier's explanation that the move is intended to keep the school open, many felt the reconfiguration is a step toward its closing.
Some of the main points made by parents included "splitting up siblings is unacceptable," and the school is "imperative to the community," it is a "slow death to kill the school," it will "destroy" or "crash the community" to lose the elementary school, and the trustees should "find the money at the board level."
Several parents pointed to Prosperity Mine as being a prospective economic boon for the area, and that sentiment was joined by many who felt the community will recover within a couple of years. They said they don't want to split up their families while the board decides what to do over the short term.
"You have to understand this school is very, very important to this community; don't take that away from my grandkids," one grandmother said, adding her seriously ill daughter has received a lot of support from the school.
Added her daughter with much emotion: "This school has been a godsend to me, please don't shut it down."
The message that echoed around the room was that the community supports the school, and the school supports the community.
After Roller presented the financial data and detailed the number crunching involved, an idea was broached to save money with a part-time "roving principal."
However, Rodier noted the district can't remove a principal without replacing him or her with a paid teacher in charge at the same rate, in accordance to the teacher's union contract.
Regarding concerns about how hard it might be after reconfiguration to reopen Grades 4-7 later, Roller said it would not be a big deal as long as the school was kept in operation and properly maintained.
After the meeting, Penner said he had been hoping for more ideas to come out of the meeting, not just "a complete no."
However, he added trustees would also consider the parents' comments during the upcoming 10-year planning meetings.
Penner said he was surprised more people did not show up, but he added anyone who wants to provide information can send it to him at pete.penner@sd27.bc.ca, or to the superintendent Wright at diane.wright@sd27.bc.ca.
