“The time has come that we need to decide”–School Trustee Louisa Sanchez, at Tuesday night’s School board meeting
And decide they did, the Daily News provides a comprehensive look at the events of Tuesday nights school district 52 meeting, which gave the final go ahead to close Seal Cove and Kanata schools at the end of August this year.
Trustees in support of the motion to close the schools (except for councillor Wiens who was against the closures) each took their turn explaining why they felt that those two schools should be the ones selected and then conducted their vote to seal the fate of the two east side schools.
Trustee Brian Johnson abstained from voting, as he felt that he had missed too many recent meetings and may have missed out on important information regarding the closures that could have influenced his voting…
Well if that were the case, I’m pretty sure everyone on school board would have to abstain as they have kids in school, may work for the school board, have family employed by them, or any other type of reason.
So, no, if you’re on the board you should vote, as that’s kind of why you’ve chosen to stand for council, to make decisions one way or the other. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t vote on an issue as important as deciding to close a school or change curriculum etc…
It’s unfortunate that during such an important and crucial time that an elected trustee was not able to participate in such an important vote. Was he travelling somewhere with Herb?
Well I am glad this decision one way or another has been decided.
Conard or other schools really are not that far away…
The population of those schools closed just did not warrent the costs involved…
Where is this boom in Rupert anyway…?
Westview is next on the chopping block…
I think trustees did a good job, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.
I think your all doing a good job…
I am really sad to see WestView Elem. close.
I used to live in Rupert and miss it there, and I used to attend Westview …alot of good memories.
Too bad there is not enough work out there, and the housing market is so expensive.
I think it’s sad to see education suffer at the hand of mis - spending Gov. dollars.
Well you can at least feel better with the news that Westview won’t be closing this year, the plan to close it and move the French Immersion program was shelved for this year (and I suspect for a few more years to come)
I don’t think government has that much to do with people making less babies. Actually, I think the schools have to blame themselves, always preaching wear a condom and all that jazz. Or maybe it was their plan all along “Wrap your tool so we can close a school.”
Either way, I’ve yet to see a rational argument to keep the schools open, only emotional ones.
The goal apparently is to build a new school on the Conrad field area.
So ask yourself this, Where do 350 kids go to play with a full blown construction site taking up their entire playground for approx 2 years?
Reasons given to close schools such as not wanting to put money into school maintenace but just into direct education. This would be great if we had maintenance free structures.
With that in mind ask yourself this, how much money are we going to pour into Conrad school, (classroom alterations, heating system upgrades, convert undercover area to classrooms), only to tear it down after the new school is built?
When by chance is the new school going to be built? if ever.
Are we going to have Conrad seismicaly upgraded for the safety of the kids/staff? or are we going to leave it and take the risk until the new school is built?
Hard to argue to keep all schools open just wonder if they chose the right one for the right reasons or was it simply their the easiest and lest labaour intensive in regards to readings and public consultations.
Just a thought, close Conrad, move the kids to available schools. Develope the Conrad site for the “new school”, build it, now work out the numbers at that date. Depending on numbers close schools accordingly bringing them to the new facility. hmmmm.
Would anyone be so kind to post some pictures of Westview Elem. School for me ?
I’ve looked on the web and couldn’t find anything
I haven’t been there since 1983 , and would love to show my kids where I attended Elem. School.
I remember in the Winter time, the Fire Dept. used to come by and spray water into our home-made skating rink on the playground for evryone to use…very good memeories !
Wow, the climate must have been very different in 1983 b/c there is no way a rink would last more than maybe one day during one of our few “cold” stretches of -5. I remember those days of outdoor rinks at the schools (from where I come from) but I know now they would NEVER do this for insurance reasons alone. How times have changed.
I hate to say it but Westview likely hasn’t changed at all since you attended LOL! I bet the playground structure is the same as it was in 1983.
No pics, sorry.
I used to live on Graham Ave., very beautiful there with some of the nicest sun-sets when it wasn’t raining
I remember the morning the whole railway dock caught fire, and burnt to the ground because of a cigeratte, andmI could see from out our front window…that was back in the days the Grain Mill was located there.
**If some-one could post pictures, I would be so gratefull !
