does anyone know if this meeting will on Shaw Cable 10?

So, for the sake of seven million dollars we lose community schools.
Should we chalk this up to part of the "Olympic legacy" which squandered our provincial funds or just "our tax cuts at work"?

Olympics? Give me a break. This is the result of two things. First, it's a result of declining enrollment. There are not enough kids to keep the schools open. It's pretty simple math. The second thing is mis-management on the part of the school district. Instead of making the necessary adjustments in a timely manner -and thereby lessening the impact; they waited until they were in dire straits before doing anything.

At several of the consultations I heard numerous questions about millions of dollars that some people feel has simply disappeared. I wonder if those questions were ever answered?

I would have to agree with faxman.

Declining enrollment is a steady trend. It's not going to change any time soon.

It's NOT a question of seven million dollars in one year, it's an issue that will not go away if not fixed. It would be more shortfalls in the coming years, in each and every single year thereafter.

Quit whining about the Olympics. Do the mathematics. Address the real issue - schools without sufficient student numbers must be closed.

The ones that really bother me are Hixon and Mackenzie.

I feel its just to much to ask the students from those area's to endure such long bus rides.

The District has to understand sometimes special circumstances are needed.

Stompin Tom: Mackenzie students will not be enduring long bus rides. They will have a long walk across town in -40 but there is still going to be an elementary school and high school in the community.

"Address the real issue - schools without sufficient student numbers must be closed."

Granted, in the urban areas this has a significant bearing on the decision. The however for me is in the rural areas where the schools also serve as community centers.

The core question I would like a response to is "who makes the determination of sufficient students?"

If they are going to bus students,, bus them to the rural schools that need to stay open for community reasons.

If these schools in the rural areas are to be used for community centers does the community help pay the costs or does the school board pay the whole shot? If the school board is paying everything then I agree some should be closed. Our little country schools back on the prairies were closed when I was in grade 4 and I had to ride a bus for an hour in the morning and again at night and I think I turned out alright. Sometimes we can't always have everything we want. If we want to live out of town then some things won't be as handy or readily available.

Just because you rode the bus for an hour each way doesn't make it right. I live in the city & my kids attend local schools, but I really support keeping the rural schools open. No child should have to spend 2 or more hours each day on a bus, especially in the winter. It's just not right. That makes for extremely long days. I wouldn't want my kids doing that. Consolidate & centralize the city schools but leave the rural schools open. And yes, the community can rent the space at the rural schools for functions. They don't get it for free.

Also, some people live out of town because of their jobs. Where do you think all the people that work in these communities live? Most live in the community where they work. Many of the sawmill employees at Polar live in Bear Lake or Salmon Valley. The people who work in the Bear Lake store, live in Bear Lake and they have kids that need to go to school. What about the farmers? Are they supposed to sell their farms and move to PG because they have kids. No. They need schools where they live not an hour or two on a bus ride away. Education is important & if we start making it more difficult to get an education, these kids will drop out of school.

I believe it was 1994 or 95 when all of the students that attended Nukko Lake Elementary school had to attend Edgewood Elementary off of North Nechako. My bus ride was about 40 minutes each way and, it wasn't ideal, but circumstances dictated that there were no other options. One bonus was that I was able to get my home work done on the bus, so that when I got home I didn't have to worry about it. I am also in agreement with faxman.

Stompin Tom....a lot of students that attend Giscome would have a longer bus ride then those attending Hixon. And yes there is 2 elementary schools in Mackenzie.

No matter your point. RURAL SCHOOLS must stay open, consider Neighborhoods of learning centers and it seems the school board will not even listen to these ideas. Yet they are cropping up all over the province. Our School District is the problem. They need to open their minds to new ideas, and new ways of saving money. Yes centralize city schools (fill up the classrooms) YOU WANT TO LIVE URBAN...Expect your classroom to be full. You live Rural expect your classroom to have more then one grade in it. Simple math also says.....THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT covers most costs for the rural schools. Just one piece of proof is this...The SD receives est. $8000+ (above the extra grants) for each student. The students at Giscome are receiving $3000+ at the moment...now you tell me these schools need to close when really the SD isn't even paying what these students are worth to the school. For those of you saying "enrollment decline = school closures" Its crap to an extent anyways. Do your research, The problem is the School District and poor management. How about this for a thought.....Custodian drives all the way from Prince George to a rural school, punches in and then buggers off to go fishing, returns punches out, when caught, Cutodian is transferred to urban school! How about..CUSTODIAN FIRED. No that would be wrong....Union worker...huh. Go figure....

If people want to live out of town that is there prerogative. Why should the rest of us pay more to keep a rural school open just because that is the lifestyle you choose? The government should pay the same amount for each student in the district. If the parents that want to live out of town and want to keep a school with low enrolment open, they should pony up the extra money or home school their children. That's my opinion.

Haha...Did you even read the fact that they have tried the route duffer? Or do you really think we don't pay taxes out here too. Don't think for one minute that the people that live in rural areas don't pay taxes. Possibly some a hell of a lot more then you do for the amount of land they own and work. Do remember it is more like this...WE the rural people also pay taxes for city services we do not enjoy the luxury of. I think you are forgetting the fact that we also pay! NOW do you think for a second that money is not going to go somewhere else in the province (grants for small communities)..Why not for our children in our area? These are all of our children, why not here, rather then lower mainland!? Not just rural children...they are ours, all of ours! I just love how you people keep missing the points! The Government is going to keep taxing you....so why wouldn't you want it to keep coming back here?

What point are we missing exactly? There are way more urban people than rural, and the trend is that people are moving to urban centres and not living rurally as much anymore.

Urban folks pay the bulk of the taxes, so they get the majority of the services. Seems like simple math to me.

­­"Quit whining about the Olympics. Do the mathematics. Address the real issue - schools without sufficient student numbers must be closed."

I agree except for the fact that some schools on this list have sufficient numbers and are being closed in order to try to fill a school that doesn't. This is the case with Central Fort George, increasing enrollment, at over 80% capacity, with K & grade 1 over capacity. They are looking at closing this school and amalgamating with Harwin which is at just over 50% capacity and operates at a much higher cost per student that Central Fort George does.

What a fantastic idea, have ALL rural folks move to urban areas so the schools are full!

The mills closer to the timber supply can close and the urban base mills can pick up the slack.

The farmers can become framers to build all the new housing required to accommodate the former rural residents.

With that the housing market is sure to build to a bubble again.

Those abandoned farmed can go to wild seed or maybe converted to grow ops. (had to)

The plots that had been in families for generations could then be returned to the governments for ca retaking.

Trappers and wilderness guides don't have spouses and children, so no worries.

Loggers can all live in town to, they have camp or a long commute anyway.

All the fisheries workers, can live in town to.

Did I miss anyone else that should move to town because living in the rural areas is a choice? We don't need rural residents. Every thing we need is produced in the urban environs. All our food, timber for the mills, raw ores from mines magically come to surface when a certain chant is intoned.

I didnt realize that Mackenzie had 2 elementary schools, I have only seen the one. In that case I guess it does make sense there.

As for Giscome, how many students are left in that area?

Loki, your sardonic wit hits the mark.
We do need rural residents.
metalman.

There are 32 students currently at Giscome and 16 in Preschool (That is now run by volunteers in the area) The portables are to capacity! Yes half of those students live in Willow River, But the other half live on the other side of Giscome. Up to 93 km away from Prince George. Bad roads in the winter + bus stops. These kids are going to be on that bus for well over 3 hours a day. I took the bus from Willow River to Blackburn Junior in the 90s and my Bus ride was an hour and a half each way. So for them to say these students will only be on the bus for an hour and half is bull. They will fill that bus! (we must lessen or carbon imprint)

No matter the decisions will be made tonight, and lets hope for the children's sake they don't have to suffer. I know the people of these communities will build their own school.

Ditto Metalman. I enjoy most of Loki's witty opinions too!

This was already addressed at Giscome last year that why the portables were installed. This also makes the over head to maintain them also much smaller. Yet not even a year later after the money has been spent the school is up for closer again. The problem of bussing still it there like I mentioned was admitted to by the trusties in the first place that’s why the money was spent. More young people with kids have moved to Willow River also.

It's a fine line between sarcasm and bitterness.

duffer
"The government should pay the same amount for each student in the district."

EXTERMINATE
"The SD receives est. $8000+ (above the extra grants) for each student. The students at Giscome are receiving $3000+ at the moment...now you tell me these schools need to close when really the SD isn't even paying what these students are worth to the school."

The rural school grants and small community supplements would not be given to SD57 without this school. They would be given to another "small community or Rural school in another area. Like I said. Would you rather that? Or would you have it spent on the children of your area. Just because they don't live in the heart of Prince George does not mean these children are not the children of Prince George.

This was already addressed at Giscome last year that why the portables were installed. This also makes the over head to maintain them also much smaller. Yet not even a year later after the money has been spent the school is up for closer again. The problem of bussing still it there like I mentioned was admitted to by the trusties in the first place that’s why the money was spent. More young people with kids have moved to Willow River also.