By Vanessa Ybarra

Kamloops School District pressured to re-open elementary schools

Apr 23, 2017 | 4:13 PM

KAMLOOPS —The Kamloops Thompson Teachers’ Association is calling on the school district to re-open elementary schools.

Westsyde, John Tod, and Happyvale Elementary are among the schools that have been converted into various community centres in the last 15 years.

KTTA President David Komljenovic says schools continue to feel the squeeze as a result of the closures, with the Westyde area hit particularly hard.

“With three schools they are certainly bursting at the seams,” said Komljenovic.” “Westsyde Elementary would’ve been able to relieve some of that load, so there are certainly options for the district.” 

School District Chair Meghan Wade says the district has ordered eight portables for this fall to help combat the problem.

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Senior staff are also expected to draw up a formal plan by the end of the school year.

Still, it’s no easy fix.

“Our difficulty is predicting where families are going to move to,” said Wade. “We cannot predict where families will move to when they sell their house. So we do have pressure points within the district but we have to remember those pressure points won’t exist forever.”

Wade says the good news is 2017/18 enrollment numbers remain relatively flat, with approximately 14,000 students accounted for.