Many Osoyoos businesses have put posters in their windows to support keeping a high school in Osoyoos, but Unity Clothing has gone all out with posters in its windows. Some businesses are closing for an hour today in support of Osoyoos Secondary School and a pro-school rally takes place at OSS at 11:15 a.m. today. (Richard McGuire photo)
A rally in support of keeping Osoyoos schools open takes place at 11:15 a.m. today at Osoyoos Secondary School.
The rally was organized by the Save Our Schools (SOS) committee and has the support of many parents, students and businesses.
Participants will be asked to form a human chain around the school.
While Principal Mike Safek wrote to parents recently asking them to help prevent students from walking out and saying the school couldn’t be responsible for students who left the school, his comments were based on misinformation that students would be leaving the school, meeting downtown and traveling to Oliver. In fact the rally takes place entirely at OSS.
Today’s the deadline for feedback on school closures
Tuesday is also the final day to submit input on the proposed school closures to School District 53. Comments can be sent by email to [email protected] or through the website at http://www.sd53.bc.ca/district/osoyoos/ . That site also has updated information, FAQs (frequently asked questions) as well as letters received as feedback prior to March 15.
School trustees will vote on April 6 whether to close Osoyoos Secondary School and bus its students to Oliver, or whether to close Osoyoos Elementary School and convert OSS into a Kindergarten to Grade 9, busing Grades 10 to 12 to Oliver.
Trustees can also vote to delay the decision or to not close any schools. The measure is being taken to address declining enrolment throughout the entire district, but only Osoyoos schools are being considered for closure. The province funds school districts on a per-student basis, meaning provincial grants to SD 53 have declined.
Get a job
There’s a spring hiring job fair in Oliver on Wednesday at the SenPokChin school gym from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Another one takes place in Osoyoos on April 14 at Sprit Ridge during the same hours.
Let the sunshine in
Today is the first day of a string of sunshine days. The Environment Canada forecast is for sunshine through until Friday, with mixed sun and cloud on the weekend. Only next Monday does the forecast call for a chance of showers.
Right now there’s a cool wind blowing from the north that’s expected to reach 20 km/h this afternoon with a high temperature of 16 C.
For the rest of the week, highs should reach 19 C or 20 C every day.
