One of the first orders of business at the School District 73 May 14, Board of Education meeting, held at Barriere Secondary School, was a presentation by students, Connor Booth, Selina Allen, Cora MacLaren and Spencer Pawloff. The English 10 students read a poem from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was well received by the trustees.
A fair portion of the meeting was filled with a discussion about Sun Peaks Resort’s proposal for a school to be established in their municipality.
Some of the concerns voiced during the discussion included; that the recommended reports include how it would affect the School District’s already long list of projects; that parent input is received from those living at Sun Peaks; and a comment was made that the small communities grant for schools would not be available for the first year of a new school as the funding is based on the previous year’s enrollment.
The Board approved the following recommendations regarding the proposal:
- That the Board direct staff to submit a further report to the Board on the cost of capital improvements, transportation and any other ancillary costs necessary to establish a school district school at Sun Peaks;
- That staff consult with the Ministry of Education to determine the level of provincial commitment to the establishment of a school at Sun Peaks;
- That the Board direct staff to initiate further discussions with the Municipality of Sun Peaks regarding the structure of the proposed partnership, including any cost sharing arrangements; and
- That staff report back to the Board once cost, partnership structure, provincial commitment and any cost sharing arrangements have been determined.
It was noted that after the recommended steps have been taken, then the Board will make their decision in regards to establishing a School District facility at Sun Peaks.