Skip to content

Richmond parents worried boundary changes signal future school closure

The public is worried a proposal to tweak boundaries and channel some students from McRoberts secondary to McNair secondary is “signaling a future secondary school closure process.
Board

The public is worried a proposal to tweak boundaries and channel some students from McRoberts secondary to McNair secondary is “signaling a future secondary school closure process.”

In its recent consultation process about boundary changes, the school district received 71 comments about the McRoberts proposal which included “significant concerns.”

The school board approved a long-range facilities plan in June and, since then, has been working on implementing it. The first step is boundary changes.

The long-range facilities plan mentions the possibility of consolidating McNair and McRoberts secondary schools – provided the French immersion program moves to Palmer secondary.

In the report to the board about boundary changes, being dealt with this Wednesday at a public meeting, other concerns raised by parents were around which high school students from Westwind elementary would attend.

Instead of some students from Westwind elementary going to McMath and others to Steveston-London, it was proposed that all would attend the latter – this would affect 85 students.

The report to the board notes “significant concerns were expressed” by families, with 45 responses.

Because of these concerns, Westwind could remain as a “split-feeder” school, the report notes.

On Wednesday, the board of education will look at the proposed boundary changes. If approved, these changes will only affect new students, grandfathering current students and keeping siblings together.