How will SD23 deal with stretched Mission schools, French Immersion?

• Bellevue Creek Elementary could reopen
• More space needed to handle growing community
• Two options being recommended to trustees
• Concerns raised about French Immersion 'elitism'

After months of conversation, the Central Okanagan Public School Division (SD23), is expected to decide soon what to do with the growing community in the Okanagan Mission area and local elementary schools.

At issue is what sort of French Immersion (F.I.) will be offered and how many families may be impacted by any changes.

Currently, the three schools - École Dorothea Walker, Anne McClymont and Chute – are at 129 per cent utilization this year with nine portables. There are also parking and traffic problems.

A key part of the solution to create more space is to reopen Bellevue Creek Elementary, which is currently leased out to a religious institution and is also used for childcare. The building could accommodate over 270 students across 12 classrooms.

Canyon Falls Middle School does not have the ability to expand.

The Planning and Facilities committee of SD23 has recommended the board consider two options to address the situation, both of which involve reinstating Bellevue Creek.

Single track option

Option one would see École Dorothea Walker Elementary School become a single-track (French only) French Immersion school, and the English program moved across to Bellevue Creek. The Ponds and Crawford Estates would be moved into the Bellevue Creek catchment.

However, creating a single-track (French Only) program would require a change in policy that currently permits only dual-track French Immersion, whereby it is offered as a program within an English medium school.

Speaking at Wednesday night’s board meeting, Chair Moyra Baxter, repeated her concerns about a single-track school.

“There is a feeling that single track French Immersion schools become incredibly focused on French Immersion and perhaps have a tendency to be perceived by many as an elitist school in our public education system,” she said.

Fellow trustee Norah Bowman said it was important for the board, to seriously consider their policy.

“The policy is not just for one school community, or one group of parents, it’s for all of our schools across our entire district for generations to come,” she said. “Without having those conversations, I feel it’s irresponsible of us to allow for single-track based on this one circumstance.”

Dual-track option

A second option to address the expanding student population, would be to make Bellevue Creek a primary dual track (English and French) program, and have a dual track (English and French) intermediate program at École Dorothea Walker.

Another option, for a new French Immersion program at Anne McClymont, was not considered due to the disruption it would cause to families as well as costs.

A survey of local parents in the Okanagan Mission in November showed the single-track option was by far the most popular among those who responded.

As for changes to the catchment, a total of three families would see students having to change schools if the single-track option were chosen. The dual-track option would result in 62 families having their children move schools.

Bellevue Creek Elementary and École Dorothea Walker Elementary are 1.4 km apart.

The board of education is expected to make their decision by the end of January, but another survey of parents will go out in the coming weeks.