The Board of Education has voted to change the catchment areas of three schools to relieve significant enrollment pressure at Westmount Elementary School as of September 2022.

At 181% capacity and with 41% of Westmount students in six portables, District staff recommended a catchment change for Westmount Elementary. As of September 2022, approximately 95 students from Westmount Elementary School will go to either David Thompson Elementary or Westsyde Elementary. This catchment change is necessary to alleviate enrolment pressures at Westmount and to balance student enrolment and capacity utilization at the three schools. 

“Given SD73’s current enrolment pressures— we are growing at a rate of one medium-sized elementary school (250 students) each year— catchment changes are our only strategy left, but not a solution,” said Heather Grieve, Chair Board of Education, School District 73. “In making the catchment changes, we are temporarily solving our over-enrolment pressures and such changes are not favored by some, and rightfully so.” 

The David Thompson Elementary School catchment change includes residences “north of Raven Drive to Stagecoach Drive and Cantle Drive” and the Westsyde Elementary School catchment includes residences “north of Stagecoach Drive”. This catchment change affects students who are currently in Kindergarten to grade 5. Students who are currently in grade 6 would be permitted to stay at Westmount Elementary for their grade 7 year and the siblings of this cohort would also have the choice to stay at Westmount Elementary. Bus transportation would be available for students traveling to both David Thompson Elementary and Westsyde Elementary. 

“Throughout this last year, and years prior, we have heard from the District Parent Advisory Council, Advocates of SD73, and Westmount parents about the need to address enrolment pressures at this school,” said Dr. Rhonda Nixon, Superintendent, SD73.

Advocates of SD73 raised concerns about not having enough space inside Westmount Elementary School and outside of the school during high traffic times before and after school. They brought their traffic safety concerns (too many cars before and after school, congestion in the parking lot, high speeds on Westsyde Road, proximity of students to the busy road when crossing and waiting for the city bus) to the Board, and the Board provided a bus in January 2022, but this is a temporary solution. However, a bus does not solve the traffic congestion that will continue to be an issue as school enrolment grows in Kamloops, one of the five fastest-growing census metropolitan areas in Canada.

The Board of Education is legislatively required to amend catchment areas when enrolment pressures necessitate them and consultation is not required. That said, the Board has chosen to engage the community about how best to support the families that are required to make this change to a different school in September.

 “The Board of Education values community input and we will engage in a consultation process to hear how the Board can best support students and staff changing schools for September,” Board Chair Grieve stated. “The Board will continue to advocate for a new school in Batchelor Heights as the only satisfactory remedy to this fast-paced urban growth.”