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Notice of motion to close Valhalla school passed
DAMIEN WOOD
Herald-Tribune staff
Friday February 08, 2008  | Valhalla preschooler Avery Odd, 4, sits on the floor of the Peace Wapiti School Division boardroom on Thursday, holding up a sign pleading for the board to keep the school open.
Photo: Damien Wood |
Amidst a gathering of students, teachers and parents from Valhalla school, notice for a motion to close the facility was passed Thursday at Peace Wapiti School Division’s regular meeting of the board.
The school has been under review for possible closure since last month, and the possibility could become reality when the motion hits the table on April 3.
Children as young as four sat on the floor around the table with hand-made signs pleading for the board to not take their educational home away from them as both sides – the Valhalla School Foundation and the division’s board of trustees – stated their respective cases.
“We are willing to commit to (the board) today to begin fundraising of the money needed to bring this school up to code ... we will work on the price of the boiler and we will work on the price of the electrical and anything else,” said Andre Harpe, chairman of the foundation.
“If (the board) doesn’t want to, that’s fine. In return for that, we would prefer not to have a notice of motion here today – we would like to be left open for at least one year.”
“Our only problem with helping up to this point has been permission from the board – we do not have the authority to act without (their) go-ahead,” said Jolene Kochendorfer, chairwoman for the school’s council.
The notice of motion still came, but not without dissent among the trustees.
“By going for this notice of motion for closure, we’re not giving them the proper opportunity they need to fundraise, so they don’t have to go that way,” said board trustee Richard Lappenbush.
“We don’t even know, if this closure were to happen, where the students would go. We fought about that on Tuesday. There are suggestions, and only suggestions.”
Previously, the division’s administration said students of Valhalla school, in the event of closure, would attend some combination of LaGlace, Hythe and Beaverlodge schools.
But with one of those schools currently in the process of modernization and another awaiting the addition of two new portables, there remains the question of whether or not the destination schools have the capacity to handle students from Valhalla school.
“We don’t have proper facilities, unless we’re going to shoehorn children into Hythe and LaGlace until we can get those capital projects completed,” said Lappenbush.
TWO OPPOSED
Lappenbush, once a student at Valhalla school, was joined in opposing the motion on the table only by Sherri Petersen, trustee for the Valhalla area.
The majority were more inclined to usher the ongoing issue forward.
“The issue has been going on for a long time – it’s not new to any of us – and we can’t change history or turn back time ... we need to deal with the present and plan for the future,” said Dana McIntosh, vice-chairman of the board.
“I don’t think it matters which way we go, it’s going to cost us money, but it could be just a one-time cost.
“Whether we choose to close (the school), or to keep it open or whatever, we have to stop the bleeding,” said Trina Meyaard, trustee for the board.
“Sometimes if you set a deadline, I think you’re more inclined to work harder to get to (a solution) ... it doesn’t mean the board necessarily has to close the school,” said Sonia Ens, board chairwoman.
Meanwhile, unnoticed among the small sea of concerned faces at the back of the room as he observed the proceedings in silence was a visitor who was not expected by either side of the debate.
Augustine Ebinu, Liberal candidate for the GP-Wapiti constituency, took in the meeting.
“I’m a community member and I want to know what’s going on in that community, and if I am going to represent my constituents well, I need to know their concerns and challenges,” Ebinu said outside of the meeting. “We are a very rich province, so really, the parents shouldn’t have to go into fundraising to support the school – I think we are rich enough to support it.”
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