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Friday, May 17, 2013
Get ready for all kinds of change in Cowichan schools Don Bodger
News Leader Pictorial
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Superintendent Joe Rhodes, secretary-treasurer Bob Harper and official Trustee Mike McKay (from left) confer during Wednesday night’s meeting. Don Bodger
News Leader Pictorial
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ix schools from an original list of 10 will be closed as part of School District 79’s restructuring to a kindergarten to Grade 7 elementary and Grade 8 to 12 secondary configuration. A.B. Greenwell, Ecole Mill Bay, Koksilah, Somenos and Yount elementary schools will be closed as of June 30 and the Charles Hoey Victoria Cross facility as of Dec. 31, superintendent Joe Rhodes announced Wednesday night at Cowichan Secondary School. Alex Aitken, Crofton and Alexander elementary schools were spared. Duncan Primary will continue to house Cowichan Valley Open Learning Cooperative that will also access facilities at Duncan Elementary. A budget of $81,835,263 was given first and second reading for 2013-14. There was very little reaction from the crowd that packed into the Cowichan Secondary School gym as the new configurations for 2013-14 were made public.
School system turned on its head The Road Ahead: Six schools closed, elementary/secondary system adopted and that’s just the beginning
“I’ve been through school closures before, but never with the complexity that exists in the Cowichan Valley,’’ said Rhodes. “I have ample confidence we’ll be in a better place going forward than we’re in today. “When I review the challenge with my heart, I struggle. I know the value of place. I know the commitment many, many people have given to develop place.’’ The most important part of the restructuring, Rhodes and official Trustee Mike McKay said, was to maintain the best possible services for students. “The focus is on the road ahead,’’
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said McKay. “The focus is on making sure we have the capacity to deliver programs and services to all of our kids. “This will be an emotional evening,’’ he conceded. “Our challenge is simple. We have more priorities than resources we have to deal with those priorities.’’ Another major announcement was a transportation levy of between $200 and $400 per family per year, depending on family size. Financial need applications will be considered. Also revealed was a plan to sell the board office — potentially as the new site for the North
Don Bodger
Cowichan-Duncan RCMP detachment — and relocate to other district sites. The number of education directors will be cut from three to two, with duties re-allocated to other positions, effective July 31. The district will continue to review the management structure as employees retire or resign. Senior staff worked with McKay through 90 days of meetings, to arrive at its complex decisions. “We have managed to focus on what is important, which is kids and their future,’’ said McKay. “We need to establish a framework that’s sustainable over time and we believe we are doing that.’’ “When the proverbial dust settles, we in the district will be in a better place to support our vulnerable learners,’’ said Rhodes. “What this process has revealed we have a community divided,’’ he continued. “Moving forward, we need to work together.’’ Many people spoke passionately at previous meetings about the need to maintain middle schools for a variety of reasons. more on A10
he switch to an elementary-secondary school configuration means big changes throughout School District 79. Following are the series of recommendations for the 2013-14 school year presented to official trustee Mike McKay and passed during Wednesday night’s open board meeting at Cowichan Secondary School. See the school district website for more details on these matters. North Zone • develop a performing arts dual credit program with Vancouver Island University and connect with the local fine arts community, including the Chemainus Theatre. • direct the Superintendent of Schools to identify organizations serving community needs that would be suitable to locate in surplus space within North Zone schools. • approve catchment areas for Chemainus Community Elementary School and Crofton Elementary School as shown on maps dated May 15. • direct the superintendent of schools to establish a task force to examine ways to retain students in the North Zone schools. Central Zone • discontinue the rural traditional program as of June 30. • rename the following schools as of July 1: Mount Prevost Middle School becomes Ecole Mount Prevost Elementary; Quamichan Middle School becomes Cowichan Secondary School - Quamichan Campus; and Ecole Duncan Elementary becomes Duncan Elementary School. • approve catchment areas for Tansor, Alexander, Khowhemun and Alex Aitken elementary schools as shown on maps dated May 15. • establish kindergarten to Grade 7 single track English elementary configuration at the following schools: Alexander, Alex Aitken, Drinkwater, Khowhemun, Maple Bay and Tansor elementary schools. • establish kindergarten to Grade 7 single track French immersion elementary configuration at Ecole Mount Prevost Elementary. • establish a Grade 8 to 12 dual track English/ French configuration at Cowichan Secondary School and its Quamichan campus. more on A10
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