Parents in the North Okanagan who have been fighting against school closures may be getting an early Christmas present. The district is now recommending two schools, which were being considered for closure, stay open.
Last February, the North Okanagan–Shuswap School Board voted to start school closure consultations for Armstrong Elementary School and Silver Creek Elementary School, near Salmon Arm. Now the district’s secretary-treasurer is recommending those consultation periods be closed and both schools remain open.
Read More: North Okanagan – Shuswap school closure decision delayed
“Honestly, I was shocked. I was kind of in tears of joy,” said Silver Creek Parent Kristy Clark.
Parents at both schools have been fighting to keep the doors open.
Read More: North Okanagan – Shuswap parents push back against school closure
The school district was considering closing schools to save money and cut down on unused space.
However, in a briefing note the secretary-treasurer said the district’s fortunes have changed. She writes that the district’s financial situation is improving because of new funding promised by the Ministry of Education and more students enrolling this fall than the school district had expected.
The leadership of the school district has also changed. Last June, the entire elected school board was dismissed after a controversy over funding to build a new administrative building for the district. The elected board was replaced with a single appointed official trustee. It will now be up to that appointed trustee to decide whether to follow staff’s recommendation to not close the two schools.
The issue is on the agenda for the district’s next school board meeting, which will be held on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at 341 Shuswap Street in Salmon Arm.
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