School Board Chair Marieze Tarr wrote to Osoyoos Town Council on behalf of School District 53 turning down council’s request for joint committee meetings. Council is now demanding to meet with the school board at least once a year. The request follows last year’s near closure of Osoyoos Secondary School, which councillors say caught them off guard. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Town of Osoyoos council is pushing forward with a demand to meet the School District (SD) 53 trustees and superintendent of education Bev Young at least once a year.
Council had asked back in November to be part of two education committees operated by SD 53, but that application was rejected by trustees.
“Thank you for your letter dated Nov. 22, 2016, in which you provide feedback on our policies, specifically Policy A-7 Roles and Responsibilities of the Board of Education and Policy A-8 Board of Education Committee Structure, with the recommendation to consider the development of two committees to the Board of Education committee structure,” wrote SD 53 Board chair Marieze Tarr in a letter addressed to Mayor Sue McKortoff in early March.
“Trustess in SD 53 are interested and committed to improving communication, transparency and engagement with all partner group, including local municipalities and Aboriginal bands in our district.
“While you have taken the time to write the policy and government structure for the Board for these recommended committees, trustees feel there is a positive alternative to rewriting policy and changing our government structure.
“We hope instead to achieve your recommendation of improving engagement through our Governance Communication Plan, annual spring meetings regarding student achievement, and at any other time the Town of Osoyoos or Board of Education initiate a meeting regarding a mutually agreed upon agenda.
“For example, we are interested in meeting with each local government council this April 9 to discuss how public education can remain a No. 1 priority with the provincial election not too far away. We will follow up with a letter for invitation for the evening of April 12, 2017. We thank you for your feedback on our governance structure.”
Coun. Mike Campol said council will accept the invitation to the April meeting, but insisted they must continue to push for an annual face-to-face meeting with the trustees and Young.
“There’s no denying we were caught off guard last year” when some trustees suggested municipal councillors were not sufficiently engaged in issues affecting education in this region, said Campol.
Council should have the opportunity to ask key questions and get answers about important education issues in SD 53, said Campol.
“I want to be able to discuss things like enrolment forecasts and possible school closures,” he said.
Campol presented a motion insisting Tarr and her fellow trustees, as well as Young, agree to meet face-to-face with Osoyoos council at least once a year.
Mayor Sue McKortoff said asking trustees and the superintendent of education to meet directly with town council at least once a year is not unreasonable, especially considering the controversy surrounding the closure of Osoyoos Secondary School last year.
Despite emotional and vocal opposition to closing OSS, trustees voted in favour of closing the only high school in Osoyoos.
The school was days away from closing when the provincial government announced $500,000 in funding through the Rural Education Enhancement Fund (REEF) and the appointment of Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson as the new secretary of rural education.
Campol’s motion for Osoyoos town council to insist SD 53 trustees and Young meet at least once a year was passed unanimously.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
