Families facing quandaries on school switches

Ann Klein would love to keep her two daughters in the same school next September, but isn’t sure that is going to happen.

She has a daughter in Grade 2 at Braefoot Elementary and one in preschool at McKenzie Elementary, which is the catchment school for their home.

When they moved to the city, their catchment school was Lake Hill Elementary but it was full, so her older daughter ended up at Braefoot.

“I really like the school,” she said, adding that her daughter is well settled there.

Klein said she asked her youngest how she would feel about going to McKenzie next year rather than attending Braefoot. “She said: ‘By myself?’ ” Klein said her younger daughter would benefit from knowing that her big sister is just down the hall.

“I’m still really concerned,” she said. “I feel like we’re faced with one of my kids losing out.”

The concerns of Klein and others continue as new student enrolment priorities are about to be implemented in the Greater Victoria school district, along with new proof-of-residency requirements.

Priorities for enrolment start with re-enrolling students, then catchment-area siblings, catchment-area children, non-catchment siblings, non-catchment children and non-school district children. The priorities were approved in July, leading some parents to worry that they might have their children attending more than one school.

Others have said they like the emphasis on catchment children.

The new priorities come into effect for the 2018-19 school year.

The main differences from previous rules are that new catchment students now have priority over non-catchment siblings, and non-catchment students moving on from elementary or middle school will no longer have a “pathway” that ensures priority over catchment students.

In 2017, all Grade 5 and 8 students — students moving to middle or high school — will have to apply for a transfer if they wish to continue with a pathway to schools outside their catchment area. Students wanting to transfer schools are required to apply at their current school.

Proof of home ownership must include any two of a homepurchase agreement, a purchase agreement with subject removal and a deposit receipt if purchase is recent, a recent property tax statement, homeowner’s insurance or a notice of assessment.

If only one of those is available, then there must be either a Canadian bank or credit card statement, B.C. vehicle registration, an income tax statement or insurance documents.

Greater Victoria school board vice-chairman Tom Ferris said the goal is to be accommodating, although the new regulations can be confusing to some people.

“The district certainly wants to meet the needs of all students and families.”

He said there might have been instances where people have tried to register for a particular school by such means as using a relative’s residence.