Dear Editor:

This letter is directed to the trustees with School District 53.

A shortage of operating funds is not easy to deal with in any operation. However, when dealing with the livelihood of our children, not all aspects are financial.

It is imperative that students are able to connect with their community, their families, their friends and to be involved in their community.

This is the very reason that the Town of Osoyoos and all of its citizens have worked to hard to build and pay for our secondary school.

The town and rural areas of Osoyoos also passed a referendum to build the community theatre at Osoyoos Secondary School to give added classroom and drama space to the school.

This respect for the needs of our children can’t be so summarily dismissed just because the school trustees can’t find feasible solutions to a temporary financial downturn.

A more obvious solution would be to relocate students in their own community. As there are two elementary schools in Oliver, an easy transfer of students from Tuc-El-Nuit students to Oliver Elmentary School would not be difficult or traumatic to the children.

They would still be in their own town with their own friends.

The elementary school may be a little over-capacity, but keep in mind that Southern Okanagan Secondary School has a total of only 445 students and a capacity of 700. That leaves a lot of room to configure the classes and maybe even include Grade 7 students.

With all that room, I’m sure an acceptable solution can be arranged.

As for Tuc-El-Nuit school, it would be very easy to sell. The design leads itself very well to conversion to a seniors assisted living complex or care home, similar to the former Sagebrush Lodge in Osoyoos.

The school district could also hold on to the property to explore future financial uses.

Whatever happens to that building, some compensation should come to the school district to offset the expenses in the reconfiguring of the schools as already suggested.

I implore the trustees to combine these options with the many other ideas presented by our community and come up with solutions that will serve the needs of our students and communities without destroying the good system we have right now.

I know it can be done and I know you will have the support of many people.

School district staff did not recommend the closing of Tuc-El-Nuit Elementary School and moving students to Oliver Elementary School stating “because it may result in educational challenges for the students.”

What is challenging about moving from one school to another in the same small town?

Does the school district administration really think that moving an entire school population from one town to another is a better solution?

The school board, by its proposed drastic solution to a minor problem, has created such anguish and anger.

Why is the school board so focused on closing our high school in Osoyoos?

Please turn your collective energy to some of the positive changes that are heading our way.

Think of the development of the new prison, with staff and families possibly moving to this area.

If Oliver and Osoyoos aren’t doing something proactive to welcome these newcomers to our towns, they could all end up living in Penticton.

Forget about closing any school and let’s work together to attract more people that we need for our schools.

Virginia Cook

Osoyoos, B.C.