New gaming funds were announced for school parent advisory councils in the Williams Lake and 100 Mile House areas last week, but there is some question about how the funds will be distributed given school closures and amalgamations.
School District 27 Superintendent Mark Thiessen said that at this point the district doesn’t have answers as to how the funding will be divided given the changes in the district or why some schools are not on the list for PAC funding, but he will be examining the question.
The School District 27 District Parent Advisory Council and 21 school parent advisory councils in this area will share $99,980 in community gaming grants from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.
Victoria announced the funding Oct. 23 in press releases from Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes and Cariboo MLA Donna Barnett.
“Parent Advisory Councils are a great way for parents to get involved in their children’s education, and they provide wonderful services that really benefit students,” Barnett said. “These Community Gaming Grants help PACs in our region fund great programs and activities that enrich the lives of our children.”
Oakes reiterated the sentiment in her press release.
“Parent Advisory Councils make a big difference for students, organizing extra-curricular activities like sports and field trips, investing in playgrounds and sports equipment, and much more,” Oakes said. “The funding that PACs receive through the Community Gaming Grant Program helps them continue to provide these great services for students.”
School PAC grants are based on student enrolment and are paid annually at $20 per student.
District Parent Advisory Councils, which are composed of members from each school PAC in a district, receive $2,500 a year to fund educational and promotional materials, administrative costs, and assist communication among schools, parents, students and the community.
Schools in the School District 27 area on the lists to receive PAC funding are as follows:
150 Mile House elementary: $5,700.
Horsefly Elementary Junior Secondary: $1,080.
Wildwood elementary: $500.
Cataline elementary: $6,500.
Chilcotin Road elementary: $4,220.
Columneetza Activities Association: $15,380.
Ecole Marie Sharpe elementary: $3,320.
Glendale elementary: $2,820.
GROW alternate: $6,160.
Kwaleen elementary: $2,100.
Mountview elementary: $4,220.
Nesika elementary: $5,420.
Sacred Heart Catholic School: $1,520.
Williams Lake Secondary: $10,640.
100 Mile elementary: $6,200.
Peter Skene Ogden secondary: $13,280.
Mile 108 elementary: $4,260.
Anahim Lake elementary/secondary: $420.
Forest Grove elementary: $600.
Lac la Hache elementary: $560.
Horse Lake elementary: $3,080.
School PAC funding is based on last year’s enrolment figures which includes funding for Kwaleen, Glendale, and Buffalo Creek elementary schools that were closed this year, and for Columneetza and Williams Lake secondary schools which are operating as one school on two campuses this year.
Alexis Creek elementary/secondary; Anahim Lake elementary/junior secondary; Big Lake elementary; Bridge Lake elementary; Dog Creek elementary/junior secondary; Likely elementary/junior secondary; Horse Lake elementary; Naghtaneqed elementary/junior secondary; and Tatla Lake elementary/junior secondary were not on the funding list.