Scaled-Down Plans for a Montessori Secondary School Approved
By 250 News
Wednesday, November 09, 2005 01:27 AM
It is not the full high school program -- encompassing grades 8 through 12 -- the Prince George Montessori Society had originally envisioned, but School District 57 is moving ahead with plans for a junior secondary program to run alongside the regular program at Lakewood Junior Secondary starting next fall.
District 57 Trustees unanimously endorsed a recommendation to create an implementation team to work towards the September 2006 opening, but not before raising some concerns with a report presented at last night's school board meeting.
Trustee Fred McLeod commented on the lack of any dollar figures contained in the development report, saying he hoped there would be at least a ball-park figure on start-up costs of the program. He was also concerned about tying the program to Lakewood at this stage, saying, "what happens if the regular student population at Lakewood Junior drops as a result and the school is no longer viable."
Trustee Lyn Hall urged the group to liaise with the neighbouring community, saying, if the board has learned anything in the last three years, it's the importance of communicating with area stakeholders.
In the end, the recommendation trustees endorsed contained the provisio that the implementation team must report back to the new board in March or April with concrete dollar figures and projected enrolments showing the program will be viable for a September 2006 start up date.
Members of the Prince George Montessori Society are thrilled plans to expand the program to grades 8-through-10 are moving ahead. Spokesperson, Beverly Little, says this is the third proposal put forward over the last 10 to 15 years. And Little says it's now up to the group to "promote it" to parents and students already enrolled in the elementary program at nearby Highglen and to the community at large, so that when it's time to report to the board in the new year, the fall opening is viable.
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Posted by: Chadermando on November 10 2005 7:20 AM
I hope its not that segregated aparthide idea Fred McCleod was floating earlier for the natives.
I think any time you segregate communities especially in the same school you are creating an 'us' vs 'them' scenario that can only create problems.
Those of us that grew up in PG know of the epic battles between highschools that often carried over into violence at pit parties. Usually involving the Hart vs some other school. At least then it was never race related, but I fear that would change with this new 'system'.