Penticton Western News, October 16, 2015

Page 1

NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN

www.pentictonwesternnews.com

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VOL. 49 ISSUE 83

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sports New Vee Luke Voltin gets a boost from facing old team

TALK OF SCHOOL CLOSURES BEGINS

NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN

Dan Walton

Western News Staff

LOCO HALLOWEEN — Owner Diana Stirling of LocoLanding Adventure Park has her hands full with these ghouls who will be greeting those attending a series of six Haunted Holes events beginning Saturday, Oct. 17 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The other dates will be Oct. 23, 24, 29, 30 and, of course, Halloween night on Oct. 31. A frightfully fun round of miniature golf is being promised.

Mark Brett/Western News

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Low enrolment and bleak projections have prompted School District 67 to consider closing some of its schools. The district’s Long Range Facilities Plan was presented to the public during a presentation on Oct. 14 at the Shatford Centre. “At the end of the day, offering the best educational opportunity that we can for our students should be our goal,” said Dawn Renaud, former chair of the District Parents Advisory Council (DPAC) who attended the meeting. “It’s nice when we can keep them at a school that’s close to home, but sometimes we just can’t do that.” A total of 16 of the 19 schools are operating under capacity. Overall enrolment has dropped from 7,894 in the year 2000 to 5,842 as of September 2015. Because of this, over $3 million in cuts are expected over the next three years. At least an additional $750,000 each following year if numbers do not increase. The possibility of closures previously became a concern while Renaud was serving as chair, and the end result was the closure of Nkwala Elementary – the school her husband and daughter once attended. “I was upset that my neighbourhood school might be closed and started looking through the statistics, records and all of the rest of it,” she said. “But it became pretty obvious that (closing the school) was what we needed to do; it was in the best interest of the students that were affected in the catchment area. You don’t want to be paying for custodians and heat when you could be paying for teachers and classrooms. We love our custodians, but that’s not where you want to put more of your money than you need to.”

Why Beltone?

— Wendy Hyer

Renaud said the aftermath of Nkwala’s closure was much calmer than many expected. “People get passionate; they get upset, concerned, worried, and they can put a lot of energy into trying to stop something that they think is going to be negative.” Superintendent Wendy Hyer said no closures or reconfigurations will be made before consulting fully with community stakeholders. During the presentation it was pointed out how students at Princess Margaret Secondary School are subject to fewer educational offerings than their Penticton Secondary School counterparts. And among the district’s middle and secondary schools, there are only 3,404 students, but there is capacity for 4,650. Hyer said no target for the reduction of enrolment capacity has been set — only enrolment numbers have been laid out and numerous other factors still have yet to be considered. “We’re holding an open consultation process, no decisions have been made,” she said. One parent suggested to the Western News that the district should reconsider where they are putting their money, for instance retaining so many playing fields. See SCHOOLS on PG. 4

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