I am frustrated to keep hearing that keeping Armstrong Elementary School open will hinder our children’s education if it stays open! It seems to be a huge target in the School District 83 and the only satisfaction is to close it as we keep hearing.
It currently has over 225 students as well as Highland Park Elementary. People should be aware that there are many schools in the district that are operating with half those numbers.
If you look at Salmon Arm and how close in proximity the schools are and how many could be combined to satisfy equal operating numbers as high as in Armstrong one could understand the frustration of Armstrong parents.
No student, parent, grandparent or worker in the schools wants to hear that their school could potentially be closing.
I understand that budgets play a big part and we have to figure out options to help our children.
To continually hear that all the special programs to be put on the chopping block is ridiculous.
Why not start at the top where some costs can be reduced to help keep those programs in place? I can think of a couple of things that puts a bee in my bonnet!
Like personal company vehicles that are huge trucks with trailer hitches, not sure why, as there are maintenance trucks that do all the deliveries and such.
Or that there are company vehicles and fuel cards that run everyday.
Day to day use of a company vehicle is a thing of the past and not too many companies provide the luxury of such anymore let alone a small company.
Seeming that we are trying to cut costs and provide for our students, this could be an option to chop.
If they are to be kept I believe company vehicles should be kept in the bus yards and if they need to be used for a road trip a person must come to the yards with their own vehicles and sign one out.
In doing so this would limit the amount of vehicles and costs.
They should also be small and fuel efficient as well.
It seems many people have an opinion. I too have one!
I am proud to be a Canadian and with that comes the freedom of speech and this is only my opinion.
Olivia Taylor
Vernon
