Frequently asked questions

Read below for some frequently asked questions regarding the school closure process.

Note: Throughout this FAQ, “Report” is a reference to the Administrative Report: Schools Considered for Potential Closure. The document is available online at the VSB website under the link “school closures.”

Why is the Vancouver Board of Education considering school closure and what is the process?

• Why is the Board considering school closures?
  • The provincial funding formula for education is based on a per-pupil amount. Over the past several years, Vancouver has seen significant decline in enrolment.
    
    This means that some buildings have empty seats and we have received less funding to run all of our schools. Schools can be combined in light of enrolment decline and the district saves money by not having to run more than one site.
  • Since 1997, the district has seen a decline of over 5,600 students. In an era of per-pupil funding (based on the current $6740/student), this means that our Board of Education has received approximately $37.7M less in funding to run essentially the same number of schools that we were running in 1997.
    
    This is not an exact calculation as the funding formula has changed. However, the numbers are illustrative of the impact of long range enrolment decline in our district and the pressures on the Board to balance budgets.

• The population of the city is growing. Why are we closing schools?
  • Despite a growing population, the demographics in BC are changing. People are having fewer children and the population is aging. As a result of fewer children in families, our enrolment is in decline.

• When is a final decision being made on school closures?
  • A decision will be made at a meeting of the Board of Education in December. The specific date is yet to be announced but it likely will be around December 14^th.

• If a decision is made to close our school, when will it close?
  • No closure can take effect until June 30, 2011.

• What is the process to make a decision on school closures? 
  • The Board must serve notice to the public that they are considering a school for closure, must present information about why they are considering a closure and must consult with the public. After that process has been completed, the final decision must be made at a public meeting of the Board.

• How much will the Board save by closing our school?
  • In the Report on School Closures, each school considered for closure has a “potential annual cost savings section.” They are, respectively:
    • Carleton $ 468,120
    • Champlain Heights Annex $ 174,134
    • Macdonald  $ 275,593
    • McBride Annex $ 171,462
    • Queen Alexandra  $ 358,576
      • Total projected annual savings  $1,447,885
      • Savings projected over 5 years  $7,239,425
      • Savings projected over 10 years  $14,478,850

• How will closing a school improve educational programs?
  • The annual savings from any school closure would be added to our district operating budget which supports educational programs throughout the district. In general, about 85% of our budget goes to instruction related expenses (Report p. 11) and the savings would go to these expenses.

• Who are the Board and what are their powers?
  • The Board of Education are nine elected representatives of the public and their powers are outlined in legislation including the School Act. The Board of Education is the governing body of the school district.

• What are the roles of the Superintendent and Secretary- Treasurer?
  • The Superintendent of Schools is the Chief Executive Officer and responsible for the overall operation of the school district. The Secretary-Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer of the district and is responsible for the business and operations side of the school district.

What will happen to our local neighbourhood school and its facilities if it closes?

• Our school has a unique garden that has involved extensive community involvement – what will happen to it?
  • If any school proceeds to be closed, immediately upon that decision by the Board, the schools impacted would create “school closure committees.” These committees would discuss and make plans for the vast majority of matters related to moving a population of students from one school to another.
    
    Unique aspects of a school such as art, donations, memorabilia, historical artifacts and other items related to the operation and culture of a school will be planned for by this committee in consultation with district staff.

• If our school closes – will it be sold?
  • The Ministry has Regulations in the School Act which require the approval of the minister to dispose of properties. In recent history, it has not been governmental policy to allow any disposals of public lands. The Order reads:

Disposal of land or improvements

3. Boards must not dispose of land or improvements by sale and transfer in fee simple or by way of a lease of 10 years or more unless such disposal is to another board or an independent school for educational purposes or is approved by the Minister in accordance with section 5.

4. Boards may dispose of land or improvements by way of lease, other than a lease of 10 years or more, if such disposition is to an agency or organization for an alternative community use.

5. Despite section 3 and 4, the Minister may approve, with any terms and conditions, a disposition of land or improvements.

• What is the best size for an elementary school?
  • Research on optimum school size has been varied. In very general terms, the optimum size for an elementary school has been viewed to be from 200-400 and for a secondary school from 800-1200.
  • The research is very diverse and a good search term to use if you are looking online is “optimal school size.”

• Why did you choose my school and not the one close to me?
  • Each school’s section of the Report includes a rationale for why one particular school was selected and not another. A number of criteria were used to determine which schools would move forward for consultation.

• What do you mean by “capacity”?
  • Page 18 of the Report has a detailed description of how capacity is calculated. The “working capacity” of a school includes the following factors:
    • Additions and modular classrooms related to implementing full day kindergarten;
    • The closure of any outbuildings;
    • Any capacity changes as a result of seismic upgrades;
    • The actual classroom enrolment in a school; and
    • Classrooms which have been used for StrongStart programs.

Classrooms that were previously deemed surplus to school needs and rented to childcare programs have been excluded from capacity.

• Have you considered new developments in our area?
  • Yes, for example page 127 of the Report has a description of the proposed impact of the East Fraser Lands Official Development Plan on the future of Champlain Heights Annex.

• How much will it cost to close my school?
  • Each individual school section of the Report has details under Financial Implications which includes the costs associated with closing a school. For example, on page 87 of the Report is a one-time cost of $11,316 if McBride Annex should close.

Is there enough space to accommodate students at surrounding schools?

• If my school closes, where will my child go to school?
  • The catchment areas maps in the Report show the potential areas where new school boundaries would be drawn. Readers should refer to the Report and the explanations provided to understand any potential boundary changes.
  • It is an important part of the public consultation process that the public express their preference for the new school their child would prefer to attend where there are two possibilities.
    
    An example is in Carleton where on the southeast side of the school catchment, students may attend either Collingwood, Bruce, or MacCorkindale should Carleton close. The Board would like to hear from parents living in this area which school is their preference.

Will the Board of trustees consider the social and emotional connections families and students have to their school?

• My child has their friendships that they’ve established. Will their friends go to the new school?
  • If any school is closed, boundaries will have to be drawn for new catchment areas for surrounding elementary schools. Whenever boundaries are drawn, houses which are close together may have their respective children going different directions as now exists in all schools in the district.
  • What will happen to the great teachers in our school?
    • All aspects of school closure related to labour and human resources would be attended to by our human resources department in consultation with our partner unions and the management team. Much of the human resources processes will be covered by Collective Agreements.

What are my options if I do not want my child to attend the newly assigned school?

• How will the District determine which school my child will attend if our neighbourhood school closes?
  • During the public consultation process, we want to hear from parents who are impacted where they would like their children to attend school. The maps provided in the Report have indicated areas where students reside. In some areas, students in these areas of residence will have to go to different schools.
    
    Please refer to the school closures webpages, under the school-specific sites you will find a link to reading the enrolment and boundary maps.
    
    Carleton Elementary
    Champlain Heights Annex
    Macdonald Elementary
    McBride Annex
    Queen Alexandra Elementary

• I live in the catchment area of a school that may be closed but I attend another school by choice. If our normal catchment area school closes and boundaries are redrawn, will my child be forced to attend the “new” catchment school or can we stay in our school of choice?
  • Your child will not have to move if he/she already attends another school.

Has the District considered the impact a school closure may have on the onsite daycare? 

• There is a daycare at our school, what will happen to it?
  • These daycares are operated by services that are not part of the Vancouver School District. The District would have to engage these service providers in a conversation about how and where to relocate services.
  • Does the District have a plan for relocating these services?
    • No. Since no school closure is final there are no firm plans to relocate these services. As stated above, the District would have to work with local service providers in determining options should any school close.
    • How do I ensure that I can keep my spot if the daycare is relocated to another school site?
      • If a daycare is relocated, the service provider would have to answer this question.

What is the District planning to do with respect to programs that are unique to a school that may close?  (ie. StrongStart, Inner City, lunch programs etc.)

• District programs – such as StrongStart may be relocated to existing Vancouver School District sites.

I am registering my child for kindergarten on Nov. 1. But I don’t know if our school will close or not. What do I do and where will my child go?

• Register your child as you normally would at your neighbourhood school. Should any school close, parents will know their new catchment school that their child will attend.
• If you wish to cross-boundary enrol your child in another school, any parent can follow that process after January 31, 2011.
• No parent may cross-boundary enrol their child prior to January 31^st and this allows for the final decision on any potential closure to be fully considered prior to placement of the children who will attend kindergarten.

Further questions emerging from public consultation meetings:

• Does the school district have the ability to raise money through local taxation?
  • This ability was there in the past for boards of education but is not currently a viable option. There are provisions for boards to seek local taxation but there must be an annual referendum to seek the authority to do this.
  • Does the district have the ability to reduce the standards for seismic upgrades to heritage buildings or other ways to lower the cost of potential seismic upgrades?
    
    • The cost of seismic upgrades is born by the Ministry of Education and not the Vancouver School Board so any savings in capital projects would not impact the budget of the district.