PENTICTON — Like many schools in the Okanagan Skaha School District, West Bench and Trout Creek elementary schools will be having their year-end celebrations next week. But it’s unclear if it will be a regular party or a farewell gathering.
The two elementary schools are slated for closure at the end of this month, but last Wednesday, the B.C. government announced a new fund to help keep rural schools open.
The school board said trustees have been on the phone with the Ministry of Education every day since the funding announcement, seeking information.
On Friday morning, trustees felt confident to move ahead with a vote. They unanimously decided to apply for the funding.
“We feel like thousands of pounds are off our shoulders. It is on the government now,” said board chair Linda Van Alphen.
Originally, only Trout Creek Elementary was on the list for eligible schools to apply for the grant.
Many people in the West Bench community said they were devastated their school wasn’t on the list and believed it should’ve qualified.
The school board agreed. It will be filing two separate applications for both schools.
Rick Hatch, a parent with two young daughters at West Bench Elementary, said he’s excited that the school may receive funding but isn’t telling his kids that the school will stay open.
“We have had our hearts broken several times through this process, so we haven’t said that we think the school is going to stay open. I won’t even really allow myself to believe that at this point,” he said.
This sentiment is being shared among some parents.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” said Tina Martin, a Summerland parent. “For the province to recognize that rural schools need to be looked at in a different way than larger city centres, is really important aspect.”
The provincial funding will be equal to the amount of money the school board would have saved if both schools closed, which is about $720,000 annually.
The school districts will have to apply each year to sustain the funding.
Students, parents and the community will learn if they will be able to celebrate by June 30.