Skip to content

Trustees reach out

The School District 27 board and staff are wrapping up a series of public meetings this week that have been held to gather input.

The School District 27 board and staff are wrapping up a series of public meetings this week that have been held to gather input on three issues.

The district is seeking input on: a new strategic plan; rural education; and possible changes to trustee electoral boundaries.

The final public meeting takes place at Big Lake Elementary School Thursday, March 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Turnout at the meetings has been fairly low with only two parents turning out for the meeting at Lake City Secondary’s Williams Lake campus Thursday, March 3; eight at 100 Mile House meeting Feb. 25; 20 at the Tatla Lake meeting Feb. 24; and 10 at  Nemiah meeting Feb. 29.

Board Chair Tanya Guenther shared the numbers after the meeting in Williams Lake last Thursay evening.

She said a report on the consultation process findings would be released at the March 29 board meeting.

In seeking input for a new strategic plan the board is asking people to tell them about their best learning experience when they were in school; what the district is doing well; and what opportunities that are not currently in place, do they see as being valuable for students.

When it comes to rural education they are asking what is working; what can be done better; and for any other comments they would like to make.

Three options are being proposed for updating the trustee electoral area voting process, considering mail-in ballots, and reducing the number of polling stations.

Options include the following.

• Maintain seven zones and conform to CRD boundaries (mostly affecting the Williams Lake and its fringe areas).

• Reduce the district to three electoral zones with elections at large for 100 Mile House area (three trustees); Williams Lake area three trustees); and Rural (west and east one trustee).

• Reduce to two zones with elections at large: 100 Mile House area (three trustees); Williams Lake area plus west and east rural areas (four trustees).

Guenther said most people are in favour of keeping the current seven zones with some boundary adjustments.

More information is available on the district website at www.sd27.bc.ca.