Letter — You say you care, then throw up your hands on Stuart Wood

LETTER —June 18, 2014, City of Kamloops School, District #73

To: Mayor and Council, Elected School Trustees.

 

 

We speak for the people of downtown Kamloops. The Downtown and West End Residents Association and the Sagebrush Neighbourhood Association are hugely concerned about the potential closure of the only public English language elementary school in the downtown area, and we speak as one.

This letter is our appeal to elected officials of School District #73 and the City of Kamloops, and to policy and decision makers in the organizations, to allow us to be heard.

Publicly, you say you care. Among the core values of SD #73 is a pledge to support a system that is enabling and empowering for all, and to strive for quality in education, accountability in operations, and fairness in process.

The City’s Official Community Plan (KAMPLAN) says Kamloops will continue to provide the best quality of life for all residents by building strong and diverse neighbourhoods. And yet, in this case, the closure of our community school, you throw up your collective hands. Stating, in effect, “Not our responsibility” “Not within our authority” – Not good enough.

At a public meeting on June 18, 2014, we decided to take a proactive approach. We understand there are financial issues here, we understand there are jurisdictional issues, and we understand the mandates of the organizations. But somehow we need to pull together to see our way through this crisis.

We are requesting that you jointly sponsor, with our full participation, a full day workshop to allow a complete understanding of the issues and options around this decision. We further request that this facilitated session be performed with an open mind, and that you work diligently to consider, and implement where possible, ideas and options that come from the community.

These may be broad ranging and currently ‘out of scope’ for your operations! We request that we be involved in this major decision that affects our community, and to work with you to do EVERYTHING WE CAN, TOGETHER, to avoid our Neighbourhoods losing their only public English language elementary school.

We would appreciate your support in this regard.

Yours truly,

Denis Walsh, Chair,

Downtown & West End Residents Association

Don Ferguson, Chair,

Sagebrush Neighbourhood Association