Cowichan News Leader Pictorial, February 08, 2013

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News: Inappropriate touching at pool raises concerns page A5 On stage: Girl one in 4,000 starring in Cowichan’s biggest event page A21 For all the news of the Cowichan region as it happens, plus stories from around British Columbia, go to our website www.cowichannewsleader.com Your news leader since 1905

Friday, February 08, 2013

Family Day stat sneaks up on the Cowichan Valley New stat: Cowichan’s first Family Day approaches with a notable lack of celebration Ashley Degraaf

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News Leader Pictorial

Local tot Cason VanJaarsveld, 2, has fun at Whales Tales Wednesday, where the consensus from moms present was B.C.’s new Family Day will be just another day in mommy-hood.

Ashley Degraaf

t looks like most Cowichanian’s rst Family Day will be just another day off. The News Leader Pictorial been hard-pressed to nd many local events celebrating B.C.’s rst family stat holiday Feb. 11. Parks and recreation and arts and culture staff at the Cowichan Valley Regional District didn’t know of any. Either did Charlotte Brown of School District 79 literacy program Learning Links. A line was cast to local mommy group Mother’s Morning Out but there wasn’t a bite. And the consensus from moms at the story and playtime group Whales Tales Wednesday was it’s likely to be just another day in mommy-hood. “I will have to work,” said momma Krystle Pritchett, who works evening shifts at a local restaurant. “Unfortunately in the restaurant business, you don’t have holidays off.” more on A14

Up to 10 schools targeted as SD79 considers closures Ninety-day countdown: School closures imminent, but which ones yet to be determined Don Bodger

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News Leader Pictorial

chool closures are coming in May in School District 79. But just which schools and how many from a list of 10 is yet to be determined, depending on the eventual restructuring

Peter Baljet

Road Ahead — to the public Wednesday night at Quamichan Middle School. The report includes not only options for school closures, but program consolidation, prioritizing services and related matters. The trio said declining enrolment and rising costs have made reconguration a necessity. “We have to be doing something different and it can’t just be turning the heat down,’’ said McKay in the bid to cut costs. “It’s much more substantial than that. There has to be some major restructuring.’’ Costs to operate the district are far greater than the funds it receives to provide programs and services. The district anticipates a $3.7 -million decit for the 2013-14 school year, given the educational funding

formula is unlikely to change. Projections determine the decit would increase to more than $15 million in ve years without structural changes and achieving operating efciencies. Previous public consultation meetings helped staff formulate some new ideas for consideration. Rhodes announced the three options being considered are as follows: 1) maintain the current mix of congurations of elementary, middle and secondary schools and close some elementary schools; 2) move to a middle school model across the district with a conguration of kindergarten to Grade 5 elementary, Grade 6 to 8 middle and Grade 9 to 12 secondary; or more on A3

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model the district chooses from three possibilities. Schools on the list proposed for closure include: A.B. Greenwell Elementary, Alex Aitken Elementary, Alexander Elementary, Charles Hoey VC facility, Crofton Elementary, Duncan Primary facility, Ecole Mill Bay Elementary, Koksilah Elementary, Somenos Elementary and Yount Elementary. No current middle or secondary schools are on the chopping block. Ofcial trustee Mike McKay will announce a nal decision May 15 following a series of public consultation meetings (see sidebar). District superintendent Joe Rhodes, secretarytreasurer Bob Harper and McKay presented a restructuring plan — Today, Tomorrow and the

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