Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Juniper Ridge residents feeling left out of SD 73’s catchment change process

May 14, 2021 | 4:49 PM

KAMLOOPS — Parents in the West Juniper Ridge neighbourhood are voicing their frustrations with School District 73 this month. They don’t feel that the district has done enough to protect the well-being of their kids after proposed changes to school catchment areas were announced last week.

“They would receive no benefit from this change,” Joel Harding explains. “They would lose their community school. They would lose their friendships and connections. They would live in a fractured community. They would be shipped out of their neighbourhood every day to go to school.”

Parents contend the public engagement process was only an afterthought for the district.

“Instead of allowing us to come to the table to provide solutions that could be in the best interest of our children, they went ahead with their own plan and didn’t consult anyone until the end of a lengthy process,” Raimey Olthius, another parent explains.

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“As far as Juniper is concerned, we’ve had more than 8,000 views and engagements through that process on our website,” Superintendent Terry Sullivan explains. “We’ve had numerous questions that have been asked, and we have responded. We have a full month – more than a month – left, in this consultation process.”

School District 73 acknowledges that changes to catchment areas can be difficult when children are asked to move schools. However, with the current capacity issues at Juniper Ridge Elementary, SD 73 has few options.

“I don’t think doing nothing is an option,” Sullivan says. “If we have to do something, then I want to hear what that something is we have to do if what we’re suggesting is not acceptable to others. We will look at every suggestion we receive, we will analyze it in full, and we will post that analysis on the district website.”

“We’re willing to meet halfway [to] come up with a different solution,” parent Courtney Schroth explains. “Dividing our community, taking children out of our school after they’ve been there for five years doesn’t seem right.”

The Juniper West community has started a petition to stop the proposed changes to the catchment area. That link, as well as more info on the proposed changes, can be found on the School District 73 website.