I am writing in response to all the previous articles and letters submitted regarding School District 61’s recommended student enrolment priorities.
The way I read the recommendations on the SD 61 website it is highly unlikely an in-catchment student would be affected since: first priority remains with returning students (in or out of catchment). Second priority would shift to catchment area children (with or without a sibling) from siblings of re-enrolling students (in or out of catchment). Third priority would shift to siblings (in or out of catchment).
Both of our children attended their in-catchment SD 61 schools (one out of school and one in high school). When it was time to register our second child for kindergarten I was stunned to learn that if we didn’t have a child in the school, an out-of-catchment student with a sibling in the school would have priority over our second child.
In other words, we could have had two children at different elementary schools even though we live in catchment – exactly what the out-of-catchment parents are complaining about even though they have an in-catchment school option.
Even though it had been 10 years since I learned about the enrolment priorities, I completed the survey as soon as I found out about it, and say let the survey results speak for themselves. It will be very interesting to find out what the board decides at their June 26 board meeting.
J Notenberg
Saanich
