Kamloops school district to present five year plan and priorities to public Wednesday

KAMLOOPS – The Kamloops-Thompson School District is building a five year strategic plan for local education, and offering the public a chance to review it.

A public presentation is planned for Wednesday evening, Jan. 25, to share the plan and outline six priorities after more than a year’s worth of consulting. Board chair Meghan Wade says the presentation will be a 20-minute overview.

“We are presenting it and passing it on Wednesday,” she says. “From there you’re going to see what the vision and mission.”

Wade wouldn’t say exactly what the six priorities are. While new schools remain an issue for the district, she says it isn't a direct priority because the province controls the funding for new capital projects and the district can't plan for specifics.

“Because the dollars sit with province, the strategic plan deals what the advocacy will be,” she says. “We’re always going to be looking at capacity; that is implied in the plan.”

The plan does look at the "sustainable use of resources though," she says.

It’s been in development for over a year with partner organizations including the district’s parent advisory group, aboriginal education group and teachers’ union. The city, which is developing a new Official Community Plan currently, has also been kept up to date.

While the meeting on Wednesday will see the five year plan passed by the board after its public presentation, Wade says it’ll be up for a review on an annual basis to compare targets; it’s at that time the public can add feedback if they wish.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at the Henry Grube Centre at 245 Kitchener Cres. on Jan. 25. Wade says the entire meeting should be around 45 minutes.

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