The Greater Victoria School District has been hosting open houses in February to gather input on new proposed school boundaries. More than 300 members of the community have attended the first two open houses. The third open house will be tomorrow, February 26th, 2019 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Oak Bay High School.
“We have been hearing from families all across the District and we are grateful for the high level of community engagement,” noted Board Chair Jordan Watters. “The proposed catchment boundaries have received mixed reviews, including some significant concerns at specific schools sites. However, the depth and breadth of feedback we are receiving is remarkable, and it is clear that our communities are contributing meaningfully in this phase of the Boundary Review process.”
“This process is imperative so the Board of Education can be fully informed when facing these very challenging decisions,” shared Superintendent Shelley Green. “As the process continues to evolve, the depth of input we are receiving helps guide us toward the best possible solutions for all of our students.”
The District is proposing new school boundaries due to increasing enrolment and limited space in some of its schools. It has been approximately 20 years since the District last reviewed school catchments. The District’s student population continues to grow significantly and smaller class size legislation has impacted the availability of space in schools.
In the Fall of 2018, the District started collecting input from the public to help inform the process of reconsidering school boundaries. Phase One was a public survey where over 5,100 responses helped inform priorities for consideration. The District heard from members of the community, which included students and parents and guardians of current and future students in regards to these considerations.
Since the start of Phase Two of consultation, the District has had hundreds of parents share their input with the District.
OPEN HOUSE #3:
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
6:30 p.m.—8:30 p.m.
Oak Bay High (in Large Gym)
Responsive to feedback received from our first open house, the third open house will include a “Q & A” portion in the school’s theatre from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
If people are unable to attend the open house, the District is also collecting input online via email. Please send feedback to BoundaryReviewTeam@sd61.bc.ca. The deadline to submit input has been extended to 3 p.m. on Friday, March 8th, 2019.
A summary report of what the District heard through Phase Two of consultation will come to the Board in April. Upon receipt of all the feedback, the Board will then direct the Superintendent on the next steps, including that the District undertake some targeted consultations.
For additional information on the proposed changes visit: www.sd61.bc.ca/catchment-boundary-review