School District 43's board of education has approved a new boundary review process that will allow it to be more nimble in organizing schools.
But parents won’t be given a chance to weigh in on the changes — except in limited situations.
If the process is significant, for example moving a program of choice, such as Montessori, the process could include the opportunity for for feeedback from stakeholders when appropriate, community relations manager Peter Chevrier wrote in an emaill to The Tri-City News Friday.
Approved Tuesday, the boundary review process will take place when schools are overcrowded or under-populated, or when a new school is opening; it will require the superintendent to identify the reason for the review and outline the process to the board.
If there are staffing implications, presidents of employee groups — CUPE, Coquitlam Teachers' Association and the Coquitlam Principals' and Vice-principals' Association — will be informed, then officials will meet administration in school sites and information will be provided to staff, parent advisory councils and student governments as required.
Previously, the process involved school meetings where there would be discussions of timelines and process, examination of demographic data, and other information, then, following public meetings, the superintendent would provide a report and recommendations with supporting materials to the trustees, who would make the final decision.
But putting the process in the hands of the superintendent will streamline decision-making and provide more flexibility, trustees were told.
The change comes about because the district is facing a space squeeze caused mainly by the Supreme Court of Canada ruling restoring teachers' collective agreement, which resulted in smaller classes mainly at elementary schools.
But the new Policy 19 Student Attendance Areas will continue to ensure that students won’t have to change schools if they are already going to the school; their siblings will also be grandfathered.
Trustees were told the district needs to be able to review its boundaries annually and the policy needs to be more flexible to allow decisions to be made more quickly in time for registration and school planning.
“The capital plan committee is meeting every two weeks and is constantly reviewing data to better utilize school sites,” said Ivano Cecchini, SD43's assistant secretary treasurer for facilities planning.
He said the Supreme Court decision alone has had the effect of reducing school capacity by about 12 to 13% and the district is in the middle of analyzing data now with a plan to introduce some boundary changes for next year.
School numbers show that kindergarten to Grade 12 enrolment has also increased by just over 19 FTE, bringing enrolment up to 30,372.75 FTE this year, up from 30,391.94 FTE in 2016.
Parents wanting their children to attend school out of their catchment can still do so and the process won’t change. They will still have to fill out a form and will find out in early spring if their child can attend the school of choice based on the same priority that was in place in the original policy.
“We are dealing with incredible change management across the district,” noted Port Coquitlam Trustee Michael Thomas in voting for the policy change.
Any boundary changes will be communicated before pre-registration begins for kindergarten, likely late January, the policy notes.
