Steps ahead, say parents

Photo: Kate Bouey

File photo of Armstrong meeting.

Parents at Armstrong Elementary School hope the dismissal of the entire School District 83 board of trustees will save their school.

The board considered a proposal to close Armstrong and Silver Creek Elementary in Salmon Arm before backing down and delaying a decision for one year.

As well, the public expressed outrage after learning the board had approved the transfer of more than $10 million in surplus operating funds into capital funding projects over five years, including the new $9.3 million board offices.

“We're excited to see what will happen next,” said Jamie Schrauwen, a spokesperson for the school's parents advisory committee, following news that North Okanagan Shuswap school trustees had been fired by the education minister.

The dismissals follow a special advisor's report stating the board was not functioning well, the situation was deteriorating rapidly and the board had lost the confidence of the community.

They have been replaced by Mike McKay, who will act as official trustee. McKay is the former superintendent of Surrey school district.

Although three trustees handed in their resignations some months ago but stayed on for a by-election, Schrauwen said the whole board should have resigned at that time.

“There should be more transparency. The report points out what we were trying to get at. Don't hold closed door meetings.

“They have to build the trust back and personally, I couldn't see building trust with the board that was there.”

Schrauwen said there is now hope among Armstrong parents the school could be saved.

“Absolutely. We feel that if we had the opportunity to start with a clean slate and show our evidence and our numbers....We are 10 steps ahead from where we were before.”