Danielle clarke
Rossland News
This year’s district track meet will be organized and run by parent volunteers due to the teacher strike that is taking place.
The original track meet was cancelled as of last Monday. The decision to cancel was made by the school district board because of the lack of sufficient supervision during the track meet. By Wednesday of last week, word was spreading of a Parent Advisory Council (PAC) organized track meet.
“I think it’s something that the kids really look forward to…and work towards all year,” said Leslie Paul a member of the Rossland Summit School (RSS) PAC.
Members of the Webster and Glenmary PAC groups, who are the main coordinators for this event, approached Paul late last week to help volunteer and organize the Rossland participants.
“I have two kids in it and they were both disappointed,” said Paul who, with the help of two other parents, has decided to take on the task.
The event is scheduled for Thursday June 5 from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Haley Park.
It will remain the same event as in previous years with a few alterations. Each participating child will be required to pay a three dollar registration fee plus two dollars that will go towards gun blanks and ribbons for a total of five dollars per athlete. This is because BC Athletics, a provincial non-profit sports organization is responsible for the event.
Participating children will ask to be excused from school on Thursday and teachers and other students will continue to go to classes as usual. No teachers will be on site unless they are there as volunteers.
“The work the teachers do is tremendous,” said Paul and every year the track meet has depended on them to make the event a success.
Volunteers for this year’s track meet will consist of parents from the qualifying children.
“Parents are pretty appreciative that we’re having it; but, it’s on the edge of what the teachers want,” said Paul. PAC understands this but sees the real importance in the event. “The main reason is for the kids,” said Paul.
If the strike continues, other activities such as sports day or the family dance also run the risk of being cancelled.
The track meet this Thursday gives the kids something to look forward to.
All schools continue to be on board with this event and will be sending students to compete.