By Adam Berls

sd57

Motion regarding informing parents about events in school sparks debate

Oct 24, 2023 | 6:56 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — The second school board meeting of the year took place on Tuesday evening, with one motion sparking a lengthy debate among trustees.

Board Chair Rachael Weber put forward a motion which stated that “consideration be given to the creation of a policy statement that sets parameters around communications with parents about events scheduled in schools.”

The rationale given for the motion is as follows:

“The creation of a new policy statement will ensure that parents are adequately informed about upcoming presentations to be held at District schools. The key components of this consideration should include providing parents with sufficient notice for all school presentations to allow families time to determine whether attending the presentation is in the best interest of their child’s education. This will promote transparency, parental involvement, and a more collaborative educational environment.”

The motion sparked debate among trustees, with Trustee Erica McLean saying that the recommendation put forward was “reactionary”. Trustees debated whether informing parents was a board responsibility or an individual schools responsibility. In the end, the motion was defeated, with Trustees Shar McCrory, Sarah Holland, Bob Thompson, Craig Brennan, and Erica McLean voting against the motion. Only Board Chair Weber and Trustee Corey Antrim voted in favour.

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Also at the meeting, the Prince George Métis Community Association gave a presentation which highlighted that Métis make up 28.4% of the Indigenous student population in SD57. They were also seeking clarification regarding Indigenous tables and committees.

Laura Weller from DPAC spoke about survey results regarding what the priorities for DPAC should be. Academic quality and classroom supports were identified as top priorities.

The Board also voted in favour of accepting the name “Spruceland Community School of the Arts” as the new name for Spruceland Elementary.

The District Preliminary Enrolment Report was also included in this month’s board meeting, which showed that elementary school enrolment is down, and enrolment for high schools is up.

The next board meeting will be held on November 28, 2023.

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Twitter: @AdamBerls

Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com