Well Rossland, you certainly came through at the two meetings last week! It’s very clear that we are all passionate about our kids, their education and our community.
The first meeting, held last Tuesday evening at RSS, was the Neighbourhoods of Learning Committee community meeting.
Around 90 people attended to hear about issues with the school district’s Facilities Report, learn about the proposal the NOL committee sent to the school board and how K-12 might work in Rossland, and listen to a few guest speakers from other K-12 schools in the region.
Excellent presentations were made by Crawford Bay K-12 school principal Dan Rude, Kaslo K-12 school principal Dan Miles, and Kaslo parent (and ex-Kaslo student) Rick Hewat. They discussed the opportunities having a K-12 brings to their community and students, including more flexibility and vibrancy, older and younger children working together, new and different learning experiences and mostly, much more parental and community involvement throughout grades K-12.
The presentations were very exciting and many attending realized that having a K-12 school is a fabulous opportunity for Rossland, and that we should do it even if it saves no money (though it will save the district more than $200,000 year.)
The following night, Wednesday, March 2, the school board and staff held a “Community Focus Group” meeting at RSS, with over 200 in attendance.
Attendees were assigned tables, and each table was charged with answering three questions relating to the Facilities Report scenario 17B that they put forward (MacLean K-7, close Rossland Secondary, JL Crowe 8 to 12, Castlegar Primary closed, Twin Rivers K-7, Late French Immersion to Robson, School Board Office to Trail Middle School, Online Learning and Blueberry Creek Community School to Castlegar Primary.)
Every single table, throughout the entire night, consistently sent the same message: we want K-12 in RSS and for MacLean to become a Neighbourhoods of Learning/Community centre.
Everyone seemed to understand that a K-12 RSS can be an amazing school for our kids and community, that it will save the board a couple hundred thousand a year, and that this is the answer to long-term K-12 stability in Rossland.
It was an extremely impressive showing of unity and strength, and I’m sure everyone there felt very proud to be a Rosslander. I know I definitely did.
Many tables felt it wasn’t their place to make decisions about what should be closed or moved in Castlegar or Trail, and that those decisions should be made by those communities.
The third question asked: “Which is more important to you, facilities or educational learning programs?” Most of the tables boycotted this question and refused to answer it, stating that it was an unfair and ridiculous question, and that they’re equally important.
Castlegar’s focus group meeting was Tuesday night, with 15–20 people attending. Trail’s was Thursday night, with around 25 people attending.
The board has stated that there is still time for input and that everyone is welcome to submit their own answers to the four questions, which can be downloaded from the Rossland Visions for Small Schools site: http://vssrossland.wordpress.com/latest-news/, at the bottom of the top item on the page — “Strength and unity at school board focus group meeting.” The presentations from the NOL meeting are also available there, under the next item — “Excellent K-12 meeting last night.”
Drop off your responses to Donna Nicoletti at the school board office in Trail, or email dnicoletti@sd20.bc.ca.
We had a very strong showing at the school board focus group, but it never hurts to reiterate our stance, over and over again. The more responses we send in, the better. The people of Rossland are passionate about keeping K-12 education in our community — let’s make certain that the board doesn’t forget that.