PENTICTON, B.C. – The Okanagan Skaha Board of Education agreed to close down three local schools Wednesday night.
Trout Creek Elementary in Summerland, Penticton’s McNicoll Park Middle School and West Bench Elementary School will be closed at the end of June.
School District 67 is facing a deficit that could grow to $1.4 million in 2017-2018. Declining enrolment means some schools have many empty desks, so trustees believe closures are the only way to save money.
The closures will affect students at the following schools: (Source: SD67)
The reconfiguration of Summerland Secondary to a grade 8-12 secondary school;
and the reconfiguration of Summerland Middle school to a grade 4-7 intermediate school; and the
reconfiguration of Giant’s Head Elementary school to a grade K-3 primary school; with Trout Creek
Elementary school closing, effective June 30, 2016.
The closure of McNicoll Park Middle School effective June 30, 2016; with
Columbia Elementary catchment area students feeding into Skaha Lake Middle school and with
Naramata Elementary and Uplands Elementary catchment area students feeding into KVR Middle
school; and all students currently attending McNicoll Park Middle School will be disbursed by their
current addresses following the catchment areas and feeder schools described above.
The closure of West Bench Elementary School effective June 30, 2016; with the
current West Bench Elementary catchment area being added to the Carmi Elementary catchment
area; the current students moving to Carmi Elementary school with bussing routes and times
established and announced before the end of June 2016.
Parents disputed the process by which trustees made the decision to close the three schools, but Board Chair Linda Van Alphen defended the process and said it was transparent.
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