With the 2016/17 budget approved, and a little less lean than last year, the school board is issuing a formal invitation to Premier Christy Clark to come and visit.
“I think it’s very important for her to come up and see SD57,” says Trustee Trish Bella, who proposed the motion to send the invite. “What we’re doing in the district, what has been done in the district to address declining enrolment, our budget issues, aging facilities, all while trying to do what’s best for our students.”
Bella says she’s proud of the work the district and the board have done in the face of steep funding cuts and would like Premier Clark to see that in person.
“In spite of the challenges, we have very dedicated employees and I think it would be very good for her to come first hand and see how the district is operating and what it is, exactly, that we’re doing here.”
School District 57 is diverse. Bella says she thinks of it as a miniature view of the province. Bella says, with large, urban school in Prince George, coupled with smaller schools and rural schools, some of whom struggle to provide in-demand courses to their students.
“It’s kind of a little model of actually what the province is looking like. I think it would be a great opportunity for us to seriously advocate for our students and for the Premier to see what is happening out in the rural districts.”
When asked about the likelihood of Clark accepting the invite, Bella was optimistic.
“I’m feeling pretty positive. She does come up here pretty frequently. I do think that, Prince George being a hub of the north, the Premier is up here. Just to have the opportunity to sit down and discuss what is happening up here.”
The school board has had a lot of correspondence with the provincial government this year, including a letter this month to Education Minister Mike Bernier, asking that the government return the full amount of the administrative savings cuts – a further $727,000 on top of the $622,000 the district received this week.
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