Board refuses offer of special advisor to review school closure decision

PENTICTON – An offer to have the school district's decision to close three schools reviewed by an advisor has been turned down by the Okanagan Skaha School District board.

The province offered to appoint, and pay, for an advisor to review the district's decision but the board has declined, chair Linda Van Alphen says in a press release.

The board discussed the offer, which as made after a funding announcement by the province in late May, at Monday's board meeting, June 13. There are no provisions in the School Act or Opening and Closure Order that would allow for the ministry to review in the board’s decision.

“The board believes it has followed a fair and reasonable process with regard to consulting the community prior to making its decision to close West Bench Elementary, Trout Creek Elementary and McNicoll Park Middle School,” Van Alphen says in the release.

Van Alphen also notes the board, in making its decisions, was addressing the challenges of declining enrolment and a structural deficit in making its decision.

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