School District 67 to make decision on school closures tonight

PENTICTON – After several months of discussion around possible school closures in School District 67, the school board is set to meet tonight to finalize its decision regarding possible closures in Summerland and Penticton.

The board will be discussing several options coming out of the district’s long range facilities report, which includes closures of several schools, at a public meeting in the IMC Facility behind the school board office, tonight, March 9, starting at 7 p.m.

The board will be faced with selecting one of 10 recommended motions presented, including maintaining the status quo.

Other options include a variety of school closures and reconfigurations and, if selected, could result in the following schools being closed down:

Penticton area:

– Carmi Elementary
– Parkway Elementary 
– Reconfiguration of Princess Margaret Secondary School to a Grade 6-8 middle school
– McNicoll Park Middle School
– West Bench Elementary School

Summerland area:

– Giant’s Head Elementary School 
– Trout Creek Elementary School 

The final recommended motion would create a French immersion opportunity involving the reconfiguration of Carmi Elementary school to a dual track early French immersion school, which would progressively reconfigure into a single track French Immersion school over a four year period. During the transition period, catchment areas for Carmi Elementary English students would disburse to Parkway and Columbia Elementary schools.

Following the decision, the board will then move to bylaw readings required for school closures, should any of the motions be carried.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.