Lake Cowichan Gazette, February 13, 2013

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The Lake Cowichan

Gazette

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013

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VOL. 17, NO. 7

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LIFESTYLE: Seniors’ centre hub of activity

How one operation will make the difference in being able to live life to the fullest

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Making the cut

Jasmine Langset, Sarah Tardiff, Megan Foster, and Nicki Vandersluys recognized for their hair trade skills. See page 2

School closures imminent, but which ones? ELODIE ADAMS GAZETTE EDITOR

The threat of school closures in School District 79 drew a packed crowd to the district’s public meeting, Feb. 6 at Quamichan Middle School. On the list, along with nine other schools in the district, is A.B. Greenwell Elementary, located on the site of the former Yount Elementary school, in Youbou. “The prognosis is not good for Lake Cowichan,” was former school board trustee Diana Gunderson’s opinion. “A.B. Greenwell parents have been hanging on since 2008 with the promise of a new elementary school. Now, there is every indication that is not going to happen.” The final decision will be announced May 15 after a series of public consultation meetings. Many parents were relieved to see that Lake Cowichan Secondary School was not on the list.

District superintendent Joe Rhodes, secretary-treasurer Bob Harper and official trustee Mike McKay presented a restructuring plan to the public, saying declining enrolment and rising costs have made reconfiguration a necessity. 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 deficit for the 201314 school year, and projects the deficit would increase to more than $15 million in five years without structural changes and achieving operating efficiencies. The three options being considered, according to Rhodes, are as follows: 1) maintain the current mix of configurations of elementary, middle and secondary schools and close some elementary schools; 2) move to a middle school model across the district with a configuration of Kindergar-

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ten to Grade 5 elementary, Grade 6 to 8 middle and Grade 9 to 12 secondary; or 3) eliminate middle schools altogether and move to a Kindergarten to Grade 7 elementary and Grade 8 to 12 secondary situation throughout the district. “They admitted that if they close these schools and they reorganize things, that’s only going to be part of the cuts they have to make,” commented Local 66 president Chris Rolls. “So where are the other parts of the cuts coming from?” Former school board trustee Duncan Brown called the cuts radical. “Even if they take the first option, they’ll still be short $1.7 million,” Brown said, “and there’s only one place it can come from, and that will be the teachers.” Brown says he attended all three community meetings and at no time was there a call for school closures as a way to save money.

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Lake Cowichan resident Diana Gunderson asks a question during Wednesday’s school board meeting.

“Yet they’ve come up with a proposal for five schools,” he lamented. The packed house greeted the news with quiet, yet obvious concern as they digested the news. “We have not been listened to,” was Gunderson’s final thought. “The community has been led along the garden path.” GET THE HYBRID FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE

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According to Rolls, the big issue now will be on March 2, at 1 p.m., at LCSS. “We need to fill that gym beyond capacity because there’s a number of changes that will affect the entire district,” Rolls said, “but there are some specific ones that will affect the Lake.” — with files from the Pictorial

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