Prince Rupert Teachers Union still has concerns over SD52 Transportation policy

How students get to school is still one area of concern for the
Prince Rupert District Teachers Union, which submitted a letter
on the theme to SD52 in March 

The issue of how students of School District 52 get to school, would appear to still be a hot topic for discussion for members of the Prince Rupert District Teachers' Union, which once again has submitted the local policy for review by School District officials.

In a correspondence from March and included in the documentation related to the Agenda for the April 10th School District meeting the PRDTU reaffirmed their concern over Transportation issues in the region, noting how attendance is a key aspect of learner success and something that is greatly valued by all educators.

The union also expressed its disappointment of the declaration by the School District that they are no longer in the "transportation business, noting that District is the steward for public education for families within SD 52, as well as the villages of Hartley Bay, Metlakatla, Port Edward and in Prince Rupert.

That perhaps is a reference to comments from the School Chair back in 2016 that indicated that the School District was not obligated to provide transportation for students as part of their mandate towards delivering education on the North Coast.

For the consideration of School District officials, the PRDTU also provided some background from the Provincial policy mandate for British Columbia School Systems,  highlighting one significant note of that mandate.

"For those students unable to attend school because of remoteness or illness, the province will provide appropriate delivery systems to ensure access to the provincial curriculum"

The full text of the letter to the School District can be reviewed below:

The details of the District's transportation plan for 2017-18 were reviewed in September, it includes a mix of a yellow bus service and subsidized bus passes for students in need, you can examine how it all works here.

There was no indication from the School District information release of earlier this week, if the issue of transportation and the School District's approach towards made it into the discussion as part of their April 10th session.

The theme of transportation did appear to be much of a focus of the School District review of the Budget consultation process for 2018, you can review the themes from those sessions from the SD52 website.

The topic is also not one that gets any review in the most recent strategic plan for 2017-2021 released by School District 52, you can review that document here.

For more items of interest related to Education on the North Coast see our archive page here.


Cross posted from the North Coast Review