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For earlier materials see Table of Contents

Dec 12th

Cold temperatures coming

 

Image on right implies raining in Hawaii --
and a big Pacific High pressure area about to dominate our weather from next several days ---

 

 

 

 

SD 52 Board ‘visioning’—what to do with present schools etc

Challenges:

  1. Deteriorating schools
  2. Declining Enrolment
  3. > overhead costs 

 

 

Talk mainly from a series of slides – SD52 offered to email a copy so more details later

Decline with little ‘prospect’ for at least a decade

Image left is decline of school age population with some guessing at future

 

Only Lax Kxeen Elementary School is relatively free of problems – with Roosevelt & Pineridge next  best – with all the rest clustering in next group – but PRSS in special category as needs seismic upgrade – studies in progress but as 3 sub-buildings make up site – perhaps 1 or 2 of them can be saved –

Six Scenarios scored – here look at his A3 and C1

Charles Hays becomes the sole high school in all scenarios --- but C1 looks at introducing concept of a Middle School (details tomorrow)

 

Presentation by

 

Bill Wood of

Matrix Planning Associates

--- School facility Planning work already done

PR Prospects --- Que Sera Sera

Looked at Fishing and forestry but does not believe either will regain much prominence – while Tourism shown recent growth --- sceptical of employment value to sustain families as opposed to summer jobs for students – thus leaving the transport economy to sustain Rupert – but Port expansion etc may not create many long term jobs --- one fellow in audience saw possibility of 3 new manufacturers etc plus big box stores ---- but he was in minority

 

 

BC Government innovations – Que Sera Sera 2

The idea of all day kindergarten plus even more revolutionary bringing 3-4 year olds into the schools – this possibility puts a whole new dimension to ‘planning’ how best to utilize facilities etc

 

Province wants 85% utilization of a school --- Wood suggested should aim at 100% as the most cost effective and even ‘best for the students’ --- Janet Beil brought up Port Edward several times during these discussions --- Wood seemed to be saying best option might be to let the school close and bring the kids into Prince Rupert – the 16KM drive would be offset by all the advantages a larger school setting could give students

 

Both here and elsewhere the idea of municipality and school sharing some facilities – both in Port Ed and in PR – here it would be more things like Libraries, but especially recreation facilities (gyms etc)

 

 

 

More tomorrow

Plus more on Salmon 2008 summary

Created by LG on 11/12/2008

Last updated on Friday, December 12, 2008