Three trustee spots secured, race continues for others

PENTICTON - Three school trustees already have their spots on the board secured, but the race continues for Penticton area candidates. There are three electoral areas for School District 67: Penticton (four seats), Summerland (two seats), and surrounding rural areas (one seat). Ginny Manning will hold her spot on the board since she has no...

Have a seat, will you? Three trustees won’t run for re-election

PENTICTON - There's a big hole to fill on the Penticton school board with three trustees deciding not to run for re-election. Linda Beaven, Walter Huebert and Tracy St. Claire have all decided to throw in the towel. “I figure half a century is long enough,” says Huebert who was a teacher for 41 years...

Vernon school board won’t support Lavington pellet plant

VERNON - A proposed pellet plant in Lavington doesn’t have the support of the Vernon school district. In a letter to the Ministry of Environment, board chair Bill Turanski said the board received conflicting information about the project. “The board’s primary concern must, in every case, be the health and welfare of the students and...

School board contemplates decision on Lavington pellet plant

VERNON - The Vernon school board will soon let the Ministry of Environment know how it feels about a proposed pellet plant. Trustees received input from those in favour of the project and those against, and are now preparing to send their recommendations to the Ministry. Pinnacle Renewable Energy president Leroy Reitsma presented to the...

Vernon teachers, parents frustrated after passionate plea to school board

VERNON - Teachers and parents urged the Vernon school board to push for mediation between the B.C. Teachers Federation and the provincial government at a meeting Wednesday. Tensions were high in the packed boardroom, which had standing room only. School board trustees, teachers and parents all agreed they needed to get students back in the...

School district calls special meeting on proposed pellet plant

VERNON - The Vernon School District wants assurances a proposed pellet plant won’t be harmful to student health. Superintendent Joe Rogers says the school board will hear from Pinnacle Renewable Energy and Tolko Wednesday night at a special meeting. The companies want to build the pellet plant near Lavington Elementary, next to Tolko’s existing mill...

Vernon teachers to escalate pressure this week

VERNON - Vernon teachers plan to intensify pressure on local and provincial government in the coming days. With school supposed to start next week and no deal reached with the province, the Vernon Teachers Association will picket outside the school board office Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week to push Premier Christy Clark, Education...

School board nixes jobs to fix deficit

PENTICTON - Local school board approved the 2014-15 budget this week, which includes job cuts to help pay off a $1 million deficit. In order to cover CUPE salary and benefit increases, totalling $330,000, clerical, custodial and delivery staff jobs were cut as well as $180,000 in supplies and services. To cover the remainder of...