With SD73’s capital priorities finalized, the district awaits funding for new schools

“I believe we will have a new school and I believe we will hear about funding. But has it come out as a funding announcement yet? No; it has come out as support announcement,” said Superintendent Rhonda Nixon. “We have every confidence in the ministry that they will give us a school. Would we like it expedited? Of course, and are we working with the ministry to push as hard as we can to get the pace increased? Yes.”

Behind the two schools with government support is a long list of needs for the district which includes five new schools and the replacement of eight old ones. Priority Number One of that extensive list is a new high school in Aberdeen.

“That secondary school is very much needed if you look at the high schools and the pressure points on the south shore. The kids that start out in elementary — and they have a big number and we are doing catchment changes in elementary. You can see how it presses upwards. That area is well known in Kamloops to be growing at an unprecedented rate,” added Nixon.

With Kamloops growing and enrolment nearing 16,000 students, the board says it has exercised all strategies available to manage growth, including making 13 school catchment area changes for September 2022, which the superintendent confirmed is a last resort option. Some relief is hopefully coming at the start of 2024 with the rebuild continuing at Parkcrest.

“Parkcrest is on track and we are very excited about it. We expect the gym to be enlarged, we’ve collaborated with the community to have a bigger gym. We have a neighbourhood learning centre where we will be able to have child care. Parkcrest is right on track,” said Nixon.

When Parkcrest reopens, it will leave George Hilliard vacant. Ponti believes it could be utilized to support students further afield in Kamloops, similar to students in Juniper or Dallas being bused further away.

“The next catchment change will likely have to take away from Aberdeen and McGowan Park and possibly if Parkcrest opens on time in 2024, maybe they could use George Hilliard and bus Pineview kids and Aberdeen kids to George Hilliard,” said Ponti.

The district has never been given support for a new school and not had the funding follow. However, when that funding will arrive allowing shovels to hit the ground is unknown, and Ponti has a simple message to the trustees to keep working to secure the dollars.

“Getting that funding and getting those shovels in the ground is their job. And I definitely appreciate the efforts. But until, now they have failed,” said Ponti.

by Michael Reeve

With SD73’s capital priorities finalized, the district awaits funding for new schools

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