There was a lot of tension and frustration in the Bridge Lake Elementary School (BLES) gymnasium when some 160 area residents showed up for a public forum about the possible closure of the school, but then learned the format had been changed.
Folks wanted to be able to voice their concerns about the potential closure of the school and/or offer input about ways to keep the school open.
Instead, they were greeted by four large tables and then they learned the School District 27 (SD27) trustees and staff had decided to hold a World Cafe-style meeting. The new format would see people sit at a table and provide input on a specific question, which would be compiled by a facilitator, and then people would move through the four tables.
Then the quiet protest began.
Most of the people moved away from the tables, and sat on chairs organizers had to bring into the gymnasium.
When schools superintendent Mark Thiessen started the meeting, BLES area resident Julian Kenney asked for permission to speak.
He protested the change in the meeting format and said he was putting the meeting under notice of protest – there was a loud standing ovation.
Thiessen acknowledged the protest, but he added the format wasn’t going to change.
Noting the board wanted to get specific questions answered and hoped to gather new information, Thiessen said the meeting isn’t about getting into a debate with the board members.
Thiessen said statements about behaviour or conduct of any specific staff members would not be allowed. School board chair Tanya Guenther took the audience through a PowerPoint presentation outlining the mandate of the board, mission, vision & values statement, school of choice policy, school closure policy, consultation process, and enrolment figures and projections.
Number crunching
SD27 secretary-treasurer Kevin Futcher gave a presentation on the budget impacts of keeping the school operating compared to closing the school.
At the end of this year, SD27 will realize a $4,309 deficit with six pupils.
If the school stays open next year with the projected five students, SD27 will have a $93,967 deficit. The cost will remain the same at $300,392; however, the revenue will go down from $296,083 to $206,425.
This is because the Small Community Grant will go from $157,500 to $75,000 because the school had fewer than nine students. SD27 would also lose $7,158 because one pupil down (five) in cost per student funding.
If the school is closed next year, SD27 would realize a $91,802 surplus.
Costs will go down from $300,392 to $18,988, with savings of $166,570 for principal, teaching and support, as well as utilities, garbage, snow removal, maintenance, busing and phones.
On the revenue side, SD27 would get $75,000 for a Small Community Grant and $35,790 cost per pupil for one more year.
After the first year of closure, SD 27 projects the annual savings would be $271,504.
This would go a long way in helping the school district pare down its projected $500,000 deficit in order to balance its budget.
World-Cafe format
When Thiessen encouraged people to sit at one of the tables to talk with the facilitator, most people got up and started milling around.
Eventually some people (many with young children) met with the facilitators, especially Thiessen, as they provided him with names and contacts of potential students.
They also provided contact information of some people who are currently homeschooling but could register with SD27 and be counted in the student numbers.
The World-Cafe dragged on for around 90 minutes with very few people participating. Some folks eventually left, but others seethed as the meeting closed in on being four hours long.
They hoped they could speak during the 30-minute public forum.
When people were allowed to talk. The board was chastised for not doing due diligence in gathering facts and information before starting the 90-day consultation process.
A common theme was asking the trustees to defer a decision for a year, so both sides could have time to gather more information and begin communications before making a final decision.
Read the details of the open mic in the March 17 edition of the 100 Mile House Free Press.