Marieze Tarr, chair of School District 53’s board of trustees. (Richard McGuire photo)
School District 53 board chair Marieze Tarr is defending the decision to close Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS) in her report on the April 27 board meeting.
“Closing a school is not an easy decision for any board of education, but it is the mandate of the board to provide the best quality education to every student in the district with the funding provided by the Ministry (of Education),” she wrote.
“Unfortunately, due to declining enrolment, funding pressures and the high cost of running secondary schools with a wide variety of opportunities for our older students, the majority of trustees felt that this was the only decision that would continue to provide students in both our elementary and secondary schools with a with the flexibility and course selection needed to ensure all our students had maximized options,” she continued.
She also defended the board’s decision to turn down an offer from the Town of Osoyoos to provide more than $1 million in funding over three years to keep OSS open.
“Trustees were concerned that in accepting money from the Town of Osoyoos, it would not be providing equal access to educational programs for all students,” Tarr wrote. “We were concerned that students in some communities, where the municipality would contribute more money, would gain significant advantages over students in other communities who could not contribute, creating ‘have’ and ‘have not’ schools. Trustees are great believers in public education as the ‘great equalizer’ where no matter what your postal code is, you receive the same quality of education.”
The town’s offer would have gone to the school district without any stipulation that the money be spent at OSS – only that it be used to keep OSS open. Tarr did not explain how this would result in “have” and “have not” schools.
She also said trustees didn’t want to “put students and programs further at risk by waiting two months to gain clarity and certainty of the offer only to delay this process to a later date.”
Town officials have said that contrary to the belief of trustees, the grant would not have required a referendum and the money could have been provided from the town’s budget by delaying other priorities.
After receiving the town’s offer, SD 53 never bothered discussing it with the town because, as Tarr said at the meeting, “the decision was already made to close the school.”
Lots happening this weekend
There are several events this weekend that should be fun.
Market on Main opens Saturday in the park next to town hall. It’s a bit early for fresh fruit, but there should be crafts and other items on sale.
The Osoyoos Lawn Bowling Club’s community open house is on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the green next to Gyro Park, the Osoyoos Seniors Centre and the museum.
Oliver-Osoyoos Naturalists are doing another of their regular walks Saturday in the Strawberry Creek area. Meet at the Osoyoos Plaza at 9 a.m. or call leader Alicia Osland at 250-495-3134. Non-members are welcome.
South Okanagan Players are presenting the last of three Osoyoos performances of “Sleeping Indoors” at the Osoyoos Community Theatre on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (There’s also a performance tonight at the same time). Tickets are available in advance at Your Dollar Store and Sundance Video for $18 or $20 at the door.
There’s a flyboarding event at the Walnut Beach Resort throughout the weekend. Catch the demonstrations starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, or watch the spectacular night show starting around 8:30 p.m.
Great weather ahead
We’re in for a period of nice weather, though there will be a swing in temperatures.
Sunshine is forecast right through to next Thursday, though there will be some clouds on Sunday and Tuesday, according to Environment Canada.
The temperature Friday should reach a high of 26 C, climbing to 29 C on Saturday. It then cools down to a high of just 17 C on Sunday, before maintaining high temperatures in the 20 C to 24 C range into next week.
Enjoy your weekend!
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
