PRESS RELEASE School District 53 Potential School Closures in Osoyoos

PRESS RELEASE School District 53 Potential School Closures in Osoyoos

UPDATES

School District 53 Board of Education Report November 23, 2016
-posted November 28, 2016
School District 53 Board of Education Report October 19, 2016
-posted October 21,2016
Council Members presented the Community OSS Success Story at UBCM
-posted September 27, 2016
Community Thank You for Osoyoos Secondary School Involvement
-posted July 7, 2016
Rural Education Enhancement Fund to keep rural schools open
-posted Wednesday, June 15, 2016 12:58 PM
2016 06 02 LTR from SD53 An Open Letter to the Students, Parents, Families, and Community of Osoyoos
-posted 4:30pm June 2, 2016
PRESS RELEASE - MLA urges administrative savings be used to save Osoyoos Secondary
-posted 10:00am May 31, 2016
2016 05 26 Council Extract Letter to School District #53 Leasing of OSS School
-posted 10:30am May 27, 2016
2016 05 26 Council Extract Letter to Osoyoos Independent School (OIS) and Good Shepherd Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
-posted 10:30am May 27, 2016
2016 05 19 RSP LTR from Minister of Education OSS School Closure from Town Letter dated May 4
-posted 10:00am May 25, 2016
2016 05 04 RSP LTR to Minister of Education School Closure
-posted 3:00pm May 4, 2016
2016 05 03 Petition 163958 to Supreme Court of BC Osoyoos School
-posted 3:30pm May 4, 2016
2016 04 29 LTR from Minister Bernier School Closure
-posted 3:00pm May 4, 2016
2016 04 26 Response Letter from SD 53 regarding the Town of Osoyoos offer for Financial Assistance
- posted 11:00am April 26, 2016
2016 04 21 Town of Osoyoos FIFTH Letter to School District 53 regarding School Closure
-posted 9:00am April 22, 2016
2016 04 19 Town of Osoyoos FOURTH Letter to School District 53 regarding School Closure
-posted 3:00pm April 20, 2016
COMMUNITY INVITATION - Education and Visioning Workshop on April 21
-posted 10:00am April 20, 2016
2016 04 08 Letter to Osoyoos Community from Town Council on OSS Closure
-posted 4:15pm April 8, 2016
2016 04 07 LTR to Minister of Education OSS School Closure
-posted 9:30am April 8, 2016
News Release from School District 53
-posted April 7, 2016
2016 03 22 Town of Osoyoos THIRD Letter to School District 53 regarding School Closure
-posted 10:00am March 23, 2016
2016 02 29 Town of Osoyoos SECOND Letter to School District 53 regarding School Closure
-posted 3:00 pm February 29, 2016

March 8 2016 "School Closure Public Forum Process Update"
- posted February 25, 2016

School District 53 "Frequently Asked Questions"
- posted February 23, 2016

2015 02 18 Town of Osoyoos FIRST Letter to School District #53 regarding School Closure
- posted 9:00am February 19, 2016

UPCOMING MEETING DATES

Wednesday, April 27, 2016 School Board Office (Oliver)

• The final reading of the bylaw will be conducted at the regular Board of Education meeting on April 27, 2016 at 7:00 PM at the school board office (annex).

Wednesday April 6, 2016 at Osoyoos Secondary School

• 7:00 PM special meeting of the Board in Osoyoos to vote on motion.

SAVE OUR OSOYOOS SCHOOLS!

Our local school board recently met and to resolve deficit issues in SD53 they are considering two options:

1. Close Osoyoos Secondary School and bus the students to South Okanagan Secondary School in Oliver.
2. Close Osoyoos Elementary School, renovate Osoyoos Secondary School and have students from K-9 moved there.

Click Here to Sign the Petition!

PRESS RELEASE

January 14, 2016
The Board of Education met last night to review the 2015 Facilities Plan and discuss staff recommendations regarding potential school closures. Three factors were considered as part of the facilities plan review:

• optimizing educational opportunities for students;
• minimizing the impact of declining enrolment which is expected to continue to decline into the 2021/22 school year;
• eliminating the structural deficit projected to increase from $530,000 to $1.4 million by 2017/18.

The Board reviewed scenarios for the schools in all communities in the district including Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Cawston and Keremeos. After considering the rationale and recommendations for all communities, the Board approved the following motions:

1. That the Board proceed with a consultation process to consider the closure of Osoyoos Secondary School and the transfer of students to Southern Okanagan Secondary School.
2. That the Board proceed with a consultation process to consider the closure of Osoyoos Elementary School, the renovation of Osoyoos Secondary to a K-9 school and the transfer of grades 10 to 12 students to Southern Okanagan Secondary School.

The following timeline has been established for the consultation process in accordance with the board policy on school closure:

• February 9, 2016 - first community consultation meeting to share information on implications of recommendations and for public feedback to the board.
• March 8 – second community consultation meeting to report back to the community on the feedback received to date and further opportunity for public feedback to the board.
• April 6 - special public board meeting for decision on the recommendations.

All meetings will occur in Osoyoos. In addition to the public meetings, written feedback can also be submitted through the district website, email (osoyoosconsult@sd53.bc.ca), mail or hand delivery to the district office (PO Box 1770, 6161 Okanagan Street, Oliver BC V0H 1T0).

The Board of Education is committed to listening to the residents of Osoyoos and the surrounding area on the impact of the potential school closures.

-30-

Marieze Tarr, Chair
School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen)