Discussions

Isn't that today it was supposed to be announced?

A report on the catchment area consultations is being presented at tonight's school board meeting. A follow-up public consultation has been scheduled for 7pm, Tuesday, January 12th at the Waverly Park School gymnasium.  
 
For anyone interested, you can watch a live stream of tonight's board meeting at:  
https://www.bsd.ca/board/meetings/Pages/board-meeting-live-streaming.aspx

I hope that the decisions include keeping the students in the school they are currently in if they want to stay there. The stability of a student should be the priority over number crunching. They are not pawns on a game board.  
 
This option should include any siblings so parents are not stretched too thin.  
 
I am hoping the trustees want to fix the situation without using a broad brush that everyone must be forced into without concern about individual situations.  
 
Any new catchment area boundaries should be for incoming students with the current students given the priority.  
 

katwalk1909 said "I hope that the decisions include keeping the students in the school they are currently in if they want to stay there. The stability of a student should be the priority over number crunching. They are not pawns on a game board.     This option should include any siblings so parents are not stretched too thin.     I am hoping the trustees want to fix the situation without using a broad brush that everyone must be forced into without concern about individual situations.     Any new catchment area boundaries should be for incoming students with the current students given the priority.     "

I agree somewhat that keeping the students in mind is very important, however, changing schools for the new school year shouldn't affect too many students poorly. They would most likely be getting a new teacher and some new classmates anyways, and don't forget that all of the students will be moved together to a new school. Yes, some friends from different neighborhoods will end up separated, but it will be large numbers moving together, not just one or two kids.  
 
My concern is that we have the potential to be shuffled to a school that I do not want my children at, so I want enough time to apply to be out of that school if need be. I also need lots of time to prepare our one child who has extra needs for any move. She has only known one school, so that will be a big transition after so many years.  
 
I do think that catchment area's need to be rethought, as there are some neighborhoods that are placed in schools that don't make sense. But, we need to know right away what the decision will be.

Wasn't there an announcement that a new school is being built, as in that's imminent in the next few years?  
 
Won't that factor into the decisions at this point?

Abbysmum said "Wasn't there an announcement that a new school is being built, as in that's imminent in the next few years?     Won't that factor into the decisions at this point? "

Something needs to be done now. Can't wait the 3,4 or 5 or more to balance the schools.  
There will not be a new school for the 2016 year.

One should consider the school you are at, friends aside....Riverheights is over capacity already and will only continue to get bigger. It is overcrrowded meaning space is tight, it is an open concept school and it noisy! Isn't learning the most important factor when you think about school or shouldn't it be? A new year always means changes, and your friends whereever you are can move so you never really know.

So, I thought that a decision on catchment areas was supposed to be made at last nights meeting according to what went on at the public consultation in November. Why was there no talk of catchment areas yesterday then, and why do we need another public consultation in January? School registration starts in February, so dragging this out with another consultation seems a bit much really....

They did talk about it last night, they made some recommendations but decided to take those to another public meeting to get the publics input. I believe they want to start keeping the grades 7&8 at valleyview by starting with this years grade 6 class, I believe sending the Bellafield development kids to Meadows and also some of the kids currently going to river heights from outside the catchment area would have to opportunity to do school of choice for waverly. It's in the Brandon sun today for anyone who wishes to read the whole article

So, yes, pardon me, it was talked a bit about, but no decision was made, and it’s being taken to yet another consultation, which I don’t see the point of.  
 
Keep the 7s and 8s and valleyview, obviously makes sense. As for waverly, they just put yet another addition on, so I’m sure they have some room to take more than just the waverly and willowdale neighborhoods. Brookwood kids are split between linden lanes and riverheights right now, so why not just send all Brookwood kids to Waverly, and then the new Bellafields kids could go to Linden Lanes. The kids from the 9th St. development don’t need to just be moved out of riverheights and bussed to yet another school that is way across town for them. Why not split them up between the more central and East schools like George Fitton, Betty Gibson, King George, Green Acres, etc. I’m sure making room for them closer to their own neighborhood rather than shuffling them across town makes much more sense. Plus, they will be the ones getting a new school first anyways.  

I'm not sure I understand what they are saying about Patricia Ave area students? Will they be allowed to stay at Riverheights? But they can apply to go to Waverly?