SD52 Board Chair in a letter writing mood; with two correspondences for the Ministry of Education

School District Chair James Horne has been a busy correspondent over the last few weeks, with SD52 sending two letters to the Ministry of Education for their consideration.

The two correspondences offer both an invitation for Minister Rob Fleming to come visit Prince Rupert and area, as well as to ask for more details on a proposed new funding model by the Ministry.

The first of the letters dated May 17th serves as the School District's response to the Report of the Funding Model Review Panel, which Mr. Horne notes will likely result in some significant change to the K-12 funding model.

Mr. Horne's letter observes on the impact that a new funding model would have on budget process for 2020-21 and calls on the Ministry to provide the School District with access to the proposed new funding model as soon as possible.

The second correspondence from May 22nd extends an invitation for Mr. Fleming to come to Prince Rupert, offering the opportunity for the Minister to meet with the Board and staff to learn first hand of the challenges that are faced by remote and rural school districts such as SD52.

SD52 Board officials have invited Education Minister Rob Fleming
to come to Prince Rupert to take a tour of the aging PRMS

The Board chair also offers up a glimpse of the progress on a Project Definition Report for the seismic replacement of Prince Rupert Middle School.

Expressing the School District's hopes for an to show the Minister the current school, in order for Mr. Fleming to fully understand the challenges of the aging school.

The topic of the long desired replacement facility for Prince Rupert Middle School, has been a long running theme for the School District.

An often expressed concern which in the past made for a frequent topic of discussion in the Legislature for North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice, back when the NDP were in opposition.

Middle School replacement hopes become political cudgel for North Coast election campaign

Now that she's on the government side of the aisle, if the Minister needs a tour guide should he choose to make the trip north, one imagines that the MLA might be able to lend a hand.

Ms. Rice is well versed as to the challenges the school has presented and should be able to share some thoughts with the Minister, noting as to just how patient that School Board officials, staff, students and Parents have all been, as they wait for some kind of progress on that file.

The two letters were posted to the SD52 website, included in their archive of Correspondence to the Ministry of Education.

For more items of interest on education on the North Coast see our archive page here.



Cross posted from the North Coast Review.