Victory!

Tonight the VSB Trustees vote unanimously to keep Garibaldi Annex open.

The District Management Team presented recommendations as outlined in their May 2, 2008 Memorandum to the Board of Trustees. The memorandum outlined three options for consideration,

1. Close the annex
2. Proposal submitted by Save Garibaldi
   Working group
3. Modified Save Garibaldi Working Group proposal.

Option 3 was developed by the District Management team to address shortcomings they perceived in option 2, namely the likelihood of drawing new students into the district. Their recommendation to the board was that they accept option 3. One feature of this option different from the community proposal is that the distributed learning at Van Horne would be relocated to Garibaldi, replacing the home learning part of the proposal, and a consequence is that space would not be available at the outset for an early learning component as currently provided by the Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House.

The motion was entered as
1) Approve Option C (the Modified Save Garibaldi Working Group Proposal) as an
acceptable alternative to closing Garibaldi Annex;
2) Approve the establishment of a joint community, school and district committee to
support and promote the educational programs at Garibaldi Annex and to
monitor growth in enrolment over the next three years.
3) If the projected growth of 36 new students to the district is not achieved by
September 30, 2010, Garibaldi Annex will be closed effective June 30, 2011.

Allen Blakey moved to amend the motion by altering point 2) to read:

Approve the establishment of a joint community, school and district committee to
support and promote the educational programs, particularly the need for and early learning component, at Garibaldi Annex and to
monitor growth in enrolment over the next three years.

Trustee Blakey's amendment was accepted.
There was some discussion on the DMT motion. Allen Blakey thought the Garibaldi Working Committee proposal was the better proposal, but was happy the that school would likely stay open. Most Trustees express admiration for the community proposal and the effort of the community to keep it open and some said that it moves education in the direction it should be going.

There was much festivity this evening. Two packed bus loads of parents and children arrived on the VSB grounds just before the meeting and joined in a parade with a 20-odd person carnival band led by saxophonist Ross Barrett. The musical parade, complete with tubas, trombones, trumpets, saxophone and drums marched around the block then entered the south entrance of the VSB and right into and around the board room. Trustee and Chairman Clarence Hansen noted opened the meeting by saying that he believed that the community was present, and Superintendent Chris Kelly noted in his opening comments that the community's entrance would be a hard act to follow. However, in approving the modified proposal they did just that. Much jubilation followed the vote, as the party spilled out onto the VSB grounds.

Now, on with our new vision for the school and community.

(photo by Hal Milne)