The Richmond School District is hosting a series of open houses in October to discuss declining enrolment and the impending closures of some schools in the city.
District management is recommending that school trustees soon make a decision on closures in order for the district to save money.
The district has subsequently set up five public meetings to take questions and comments from parents.
According to a district report “there appears to be residual capacity equal to almost five average sized elementary and two average sized secondary schools.”
Roughly three-quarters of Richmond schools are under-utilized, according to Ministry of Education funding guidelines.
The district has not stated exactly how many schools must close.
In order to close a school the district has a number of conditions that it has outlined, to qualify any particular decision. Most importantly, neighbouring schools must be able to accommodate new students from a closed school. Furthermore, the district considers the projected enrolment at a school as well as the operating costs.
One school that was singled out in a report as an example of high operating costs was the highly underused Sea Island elementary school, with an operating budget four times greater than the average school.
The district is also factoring in schools that require significant capital expenditures, such as seismic upgrades.
Complicating the matter is population growth projections for the City Centre area of Richmond; whereas fewer children may be living in single-family neighbourhoods — where schools exist — the downtown core — the area where there are few schools — is expected to see growth via development.
Since 2009 the district has lost about 1,300 students overall. Last year, the district graduated 2,200 high school students but it only expects 1,400 Kindergarten students this year. Factoring in city growth, the district is still expecting about 750 fewer students this year, costing it roughly $3 million in transfers from the Ministry and, subsequently, 20 teaching positions.
The only area of growth in the district is in its international student program. Last year, the district had 750 international students, whereas this year it is expected to have about 875. The extra 125 overseas students are expected to pull in an additional $250,000.
Questions about impending closures can also be fielded at the district’s website, LetsTalkSD38.ca.
Open houses (7-9 p.m.):
Richmond secondary – Oct.15
Burnett secondary – Oct.20
McNair secondary – Oct.22
McMath secondary – Oct.27
Cambie secondary – Oct.29
Schools projected to be more than 25 per cent below capacity in three years (Bolded schools have operating costs greater than 25 per cent above the district average. A school with an ‘X’ indicates major seismic upgrades are needed):
Elementary schools:
Blundell - X
Grauer - X
Maple Lane - X
McKay - X
Thompson - X
Woodward - X
Sea Island
Gilmore - X
Lee - X
Tait - X
McNeely
Kidd
Secondary schools:
Palmer
Cambie*
MacNeill*
Burnett*
McNair
* Schools are near City Centre and potential closure could be mitigated by development, according to the district.
