Most schools left on board’s closure list
Britannia praised as ‘model’ after school formally spared in vote
Eleven Vancouver schools, including Gladstone Secondary, remain on the chopping block for possible closure as the school board voted Monday to push the process forward to community consultation.
Hundreds of concerned students and parents packed Charles Tupper Secondary and many left disappointed at the Vancouver school board’s decision to continue considering all but one of the schools on its original list for closure.
Cries of “no” rang out after the board voted to keep Gladstone on the list. “Vote them out,” a man in the audience hollered about the school board.
Most trustees stressed the decision was not final and framed it as the beginning of a consultation process and a chance to get further input from the community.
Accepting the staff report recommending the trustees consider the 11 schools for closure “allows us to move into an input stage for two months to hear back from the community,” chair Mike Lombardi said, citing examples in 2010 when trustees nixed proposals to close Champlain Heights annex and Queen Alexandra Elementary.
The consultation period will give the board time to start a dialogue with the community and to campaign for further funds from the provincial government, he added.
A loud cheer went up in the gym after the board formally voted to spare Britannia Secondary from the list because of its large percentage of vulnerable and aboriginal students, close integration to the community, and what Lombardi described as its “womb-to-tomb services” including a daycare, a seniors services centre, library and swimming pool.
“Why on earth would we consider closing a school that’s a model community school?” he asked.
Gladstone Secondary remained on the closure list.
The 11 school considered for closures are Champlain Heights annex, Tecumseh annex, McBride annex, A.R. Lord Elementary, Seymour Elementary, Bruce Elementary, Carleton Elementary, Queen Alexandra Elementary, Trudeau Elementary, Gladstone Secondary and the only west-side school on the list, Queen Elizabeth annex.
The schools will receive a twoweek notice Tuesday, kicking off a consultation period in October and November. A recommended list will be brought forward to a committee on Dec. 8. The board will make a final decision on Dec. 12.
Board trustee Patti Bacchus was expected to submit a motion asking staff for a revised plan, looking specifically at in-catchment enrolment and removing the filter of the 95 per cent use rate recently rescinded by the ministry.
She will also submit a motion asking the City of Vancouver to look at the board’s projections to make sure the figures are aligned with planned developments in the respective neighbourhoods.