Editor:
Due to all the negativity in the media over the last two weeks, regarding the “10-Year Enhanced Facilities Plan,” I feel it necessary to voice my opinion.
This negative publicity would lead you to believe every parent of school-aged children in Ladysmith shares this view. I, for one, am willing to keep an open mind to see what the school board has to offer in regards to the “middle school concept” within LSS (Grades 6-12).
As long as the integration is properly administered (i.e., different bell schedules, separate areas of the school, teachers trained for that grade level, etc.), I think it could be a terrific opportunity for our children.
My son started Grade 8 this past September, and if you ask him, it has been the best year of school so far. The introduction to LSS includes the first day for Grade 8s only, along with the Gr8 leaders providing support, which continues throughout the school year. Why would this be any different for our Grade 6/7s?
Our high school has a lot of fine individuals, and I’m not just talking about the staff! Look at the volunteerism done by our teenagers throughout our town; talk to LAFF or any parent who utilizes a teenage sitter. There are awesome role models at LSS for our pre-teens.
As a small town, we don’t have the student population to justify two K-7 schools, and we must accept that changes must be made to in order to ensure we can move forward to create the best learning opportunities for Ladysmith students in the future.
If you look at the Facility Plan, Ladysmith Primary will be renovated to become our new Ladysmith Elementary School in 2017, but there will not be money to renovate one and build another new school as well. That is millions of dollars the Ministry isn’t willing to spend and most taxpayers aren’t willing to fork out.
I choose to take the “glass half full” approach and see what it’s all about before jumping to foregone judgments and conclusions.
Margie Forster
Parent of Grade 8 and
Grade 5 children
