Lake Country parents don’t want their students growing up any earlier than they have to.
Concerns are being expressed about the Central Okanagan School District’s long-term facility plan, which proposes shifting Grade 7 students from Oyama Traditional, Davidson Road and Peter Greer elementary schools to George Elliot Secondary School.
“We want the best choice for our kids. Moving the kids over is not the best choice,” said Ryan Murdain, spokesperson for the schools’ parent advisory councils.
The district’s plan calls for relocating all Grade 7 students to GESS to address overcrowding at the elementary level in September 2013.
But Murdain says that until a middle school can be constructed by 2017, parents want the Grade 7 students to remain in the elementary schools.
“The district is going to put portables at GESS for the students because it’s already full so we’re saying put portables at Davidson Road because that’s the only elementary school that’s full.”
There is a concern that Grade 7 students will not be segregated from the higher grades.
“Grade 7 students are very young and easily influenced,” said Murdain.
“They will be exposed to all of the vices of the older kids.”
The facilities plan will be the focus of a community meeting Thursday at GESS at 6:30 p.m.
We are trying to be reasonable and not alarmist,” said Murdain.
“We won’t run off the edge of the world if the kids are in Grades 7 to 12 but it’s not best for our children. They (district) say they are listening to us.”
A decision on the facility plan is expected to be made by trustees in December.
The school district could not be reached for comment.
