Aberdeen / Pacific Way

Pacific Way & Aberdeen should be going to the same high school. Transportation logistics alone just make sense.

Additionally, because of the school catchments, there has been considerable transit changes that are and will continue to degrade transit options for citizens (mainly Laurier and Garymede), things like community connection need to be taken into account too, not just school enrollment. The lost of walkable transit to Laurier and Garymede will have serious impacts on university and working citizens. Especially critical when society is trying to encourage transit over vehicle transport.

Part 2) Regarding Pacific Way Elementary. When this school was approved and built, it was done so with future expansion. Why hasn't the district initiated this expansion yet? (see Q.15)

There's no reason why PacWay should have portables. Why hasn't this been done and when will it be done.

Part 3) Pacific Way was designed and approved by the board (1999/2000) with an expansion planned. So while I appreciate the district is looking further down the road, the fact remains that we currently have a site that is space and design ready to relieve the pressures of the area will prior to when a new site can be acquired and built.

We need to take full advantage of these sites that were designed and previously approved for expansion before new sites are built.
So my question remains, why hasn't the district initiated this expansion yet and when will they? The neighourhood needs this inventory WELL BEFORE a new site!

Thank you for the chance to have some input on this matter.

I have significant concerns about the proposed catchment change for Pacific Way.  I feel that it is unfair to divide a school at this point in time. While I understand the reasoning behind the need for a catchment change, I feel strongly that students who live on the streets in question (Willowbrae, Raeburn, Bentall, Talbot, Galbraith, and Telford) and who already attend Pacific Way should be grandfathered in. Given the circumstances that everyone has been navigating over the past 12 months with Covid- 19 I believe that it would be detrimental to the mental health and well-being of students at this time. I think that it would be wise to grandfather those students in and then have any new enrolments from within the area in question attend Aberdeen Elementary in the future.
Thank you for your consideration.

I do not see any information about 'out of catchment area' students who currently attend Pacific Way.  Would these students be exempt? (see Q.6)

For example, would a student who currently attends Pacific Way, but has an address in Summit be exempt from the catchment change?

Is the district just looking to remove students on the selected streets? (see Q.5)

Would existing students be required to change schools, or only new enrollments (i.e. would students currently attending Pacific Way be given the option to stay there). (see Q.5)

While I understand the need to balance enrollment, I'm very concerned the impact on kids who've already had a rough year with the pandemic.  Personally, we've moved to Kamloops in the last year and it took our son the first five months of school to really settle into a new friend network, and I'm really struggling with the thought of asking him to change schools for another year in a row.

I thank the district for providing the public with such detailed information regarding student enrollment (both current and projected), as well as maps detailing current and proposed school catchments.

The current and proposed revised catchments between Aberdeen Elementary and Pacific Way Elementary schools are confusing and arbitrary, with neighbours attending different high schools.

I propose that instead of redirecting students from Dufferin Elementary to SKSS from Sa-Hali Secondary, that instead this be done with students from Pacific Way Elementary.

This would make for cleaner, more clear-cut, and logical high school catchment boundaries, with Aberdeen attending SKSS and Dufferin attending Sa-Hali.

Also, I propose redirecting students from Beattie Elementary to Sa-Hali Secondary from SKSS. Students from Beattie elementary traditionally attended Sa-Hali Secondary, and many of them live within walking distance of this school.

With Dufferin Elementary remaining at Sa-Hali Secondary, Pacific Way Elementary redirecting to SKSS, and Beattie Elementary redirecting to Sa-Hali Secondary, the projected enrollments for the two high schools are very similar to the current proposed changes in 2022 and 2030:

Sa-Hali Secondary would be at 960 students (132%) in 2022 (current proposal is 907 students, 125%) and 1084 students (150%) in 2030 (current proposal is 1101 students, 152%).

SKSS would be at 1032 students (106%) in 2022 (current proposal is 1085 students, 111%) and 1212 students (125%) in 2030 (current proposal is 1195 students, 123%).

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this feedback. I would be happy to discuss in more detail should it be of interest, and would welcome feedback from the district regarding the above proposal.

Thank you for including the public in this consultation.

I understand the need for a catchment shift due to growth in the area.

It is a known fact among the Pacific Way parents that a significant number of students, who attend Pacific Way, are currently from out of catchment.  It seems unfair to penalize the remaining streets in Pacific Way before removing those students.  Could consideration not be given to grandfather those students of the remaining Pacific Way streets before imposing the change? (see Q.6) After, it would be fair that all new students of those streets register at Aberdeen Elementary.

With COVID restrictions likely still in place, I worry about the mental health of the students from those streets.  They have built a community of friends at Pacific Way.

Since we aren't worrying about filling a whole school, just adding a few portables, please consider the suggestion.

1) Hello, I see it say this would be taking in effect in Sept 2022, so would that be this coming up September (2021) or would it be the following year (2022) (see Q.7)

2) I was wondering why Dunrobin dr and place was not put into the Aberdeen catchment?  Distance wise and placement of the new catchment that this was part of the Aberdeen catchment (See map) (see Q.11)

Thank you for the chance to have some input on this matter.

I have significant concerns about the proposed catchment change for Pacific Way.  I feel that it is unfair to divide a school at this point in time. While I understand the reasoning behind the need for a catchment change, I feel strongly that students who live on the streets in question (Willowbrae, Raeburn, Bentall, Talbot, Galbraith, and Telford) and who already attend Pacific Way should be grandfathered in. Given the circumstances that everyone has been navigating over the past 12 months with Covid- 19 I believe that it would be detrimental to the mental health and well being of students at this time. I think that it would be wise to grandfather those students in and then have any new enrolments from within the area in question attend Aberdeen Elementary in the future.

Thank you for your consideration.

For me it's more make sense that catchment area boundary is set based on actual communities and major roads. Kids are better not to across those Pacific way and Aberdeen drive. The north east area from the Pacific way / Aberdeen drive roundabout would be a part of the Aberdeen elementry catchment while new proposed area remain in the part of Pacific way.

This area also up and downhill area and it would be too far for the kids in the new Edinburgh area to commute by foot to the Aberdeen Elementary. (See Map)

There is a lot of confusion and mixed information. Would students in the affected area have to reapply to stay at Pacific way? (see Q.8)

Would current pacific way  students automatically have to switch to Aberdeen elementary or are they grandfathered into Pacific way and new enrolling students would attend Aberdeen? (see Q.8)

Will my daughter, who will be going into her sixth year at Pacific Way in September, 2022, really be asked to relocate to a school where she knows no one (none of her friends live in the affected area), to make room for someone who is brand new to the community and has no connections with the school, but lives in the “correct” area? (see Q. 5)

You say parents can apply for a variance, but how many of these will be granted? Are there any guarantees that my daughter will not have to endure this highly disruptive and devastating change following the already devastating experience of COVID? (see Q.9)

My husband and I spent months reachering the schools be for we moved to kamloops and purposly bought our house in the pacificway catchment so my children could attend.  We have donated thousands of dollars in support of fundraisers to that school to get extra resources for the school and I have donated counless hours of volunteering to be able help the school and to get to know the staff and other children to ensure the safety and well being of my kids.

I understand the growth in poputlation but I do not believe it is fair for our kids who have been attending for years not to be grandfathered in and if we apply for a transfer what happens if one child is accepted but the others are not. As for high school if the kids are not already enrolled in the school I can accept the catchment change when the time comes. 

But for those who are already attending Sahali secondary it is just as unfair to not grandfather those kids in as well.For some it will be their senior year. 

I understand changes have to be made but they should not have to effect the kids who already attend pacific way. It take on average 1-3 years to find child care for before and after school pick up and there are alot of parents that will no longer have access to child care if this take place.

There are alot of things to consider than a line on a map. For the future that line might work but for those who might have to live through these changes it will effect our kids social structure, the resourses made available to our kids, daycare, possibly our property values now that we are in a differnt catchment. Please use gandfathering in students when making the decisions.

To my knowledge, there are blue prints for an extension onto Pacific Way Elementary.  While that does cost more money than adding portables, it would save the mental health of the families and children who attend Pacific Way from unnecessary stress.

While other schools in the district are just out of options, it appears like the district could be looking at this as an option for Pacific Way.  We already know that the school is growing, so it would be a positive investment for the school and surrounding area.  Plus students could be grandfathered and the catchment change could still be made.

I fully understand that changes do need to be made, but it seems very unfair to the small amount of families in that area, when that additions could be made.

I am not in favour of the new catchment boundary. I feel there are more viable options.

I worry first of all for the mental well being of the children who are now in jeopardy of losing their friend groups as well as numerous connections within the school.

I am also aware that Pacific Way Elementary was built with plans for a future extension. Given that enrolment is undoubtably going to increase with all of the new development in the area, I feel that SD#73 should stop adding portables in a piece meal attempt to barely meet the needs of new enrolments and instead they should be properly planning for the future and adding on the extension that already exists in blueprint form.

It would make far more sense to do one of two things:

1) Change the new catchment line to where Edinburgh begins
 or

2) Grandfather the small number of students who are affected into Pacific Way.
In light of the current pandemic and all of the stress that students have been under over the past year, it would absolutely not be in anyone's best interest to implement the proposed changes.

Consideration MUST be given to the students in the proposed boundary change.

Will the high school catchment for these streets also change? (see Q.18)

We currently live on Telford and will be impacted by this change. I want to ensure that if my daughter must move to Aberdeen elementary that she will then be going to SKSS with her new friends from Aberdeen elementary.

If the elementary catchment changes but the high school catchment doesn’t also change then kids will not be going off to highschool with their elementary friends.

The following offers a few additional comments to complement my "presentation" during the public consultation Zoom meeting from April 27th.  

I forgot to mention our house (on the cul-de-sac of Willowbrae Crt) is located within 50m from the proposed zoning change, which for our kids makes the difference of walking together to/from school for 10min vs our little one (starting Sept 2022) walking by herself for about 1/2hr to go to Aberdeen. It makes us and her nervous obviously and does not feel right – we are (as the crow flies) closer to PacWay than other houses along Abbyglen, which is not impacted by the proposed change.

• We chose PacWay for the reputation and the proximity. We believe in a safe, active and healthy lifestyle. Attending PacWay offers that to our kids as they can easily connect to the City trail behind our house and safely walk to school without traffic. They can also easily and safety bike to school. Spending time outside before and after school is healthy and beneficial to our kids as well as any kids.
• A change to Aberdeen Elementary would create a logistical nightmare to us as walking our biking to school is simply not an option for our kids due to real and significant safety concerns, mostly related to (i) crossing the busy Aberdeen Drive, and (ii) the elevation difference and steep grade from Willowbrae down to Aberdeen Elementary.
• Please consider offering those kids currently attending PacWay to complete their elementary education at PacWay before activating the Catchment change.
• Please consider structural expansion of the current PacWay school.

Bryan B. 

Thank you for the presentation tonight. While I appreciate the pressure to share the capacity amongst Pacific Way and Aberdeen Elementary, there were many valid concerns raised that are due to the short timeline for this change. We were presented with only one option, which is not a fair discussion. There are other options that were raised during the meeting and I would like to offer one more.

If I heard correctly, the catchment change affects 80 students who will now transfer to Aberdeen Elementary in 2022. This is approximately 4 portables. An alternative should be considered to transfer only new students to Aberdeen and allow the current Pacific Way students to complete their K-7. The result would be a gradual shift over 5-7 years to the desired state. These 4 portables would need to be distributed between both schools and moved to Aberdeen at 7 years. Are we really considering upsetting the community and students as you heard tonight over 4 portables for 5-7 years while the students complete their education at their existing schools? This seems like an excessive amount of upset for minimal cost.

Jeff W.

To easy the increase in the number of students currently enrolled at Pacific way, has it been concerned for kids currently attending this school but it is not their catchment for them to attend there designated school.

Blair H.

Hi, I listened to the online presentation last night concerning the catchment changes proposed for Pacific Way. I hope that the board realizes that, just because everybody didn't provide input, that there aren't more people concerned with these changes. There are many more of us but we didn't see the need to rehash all of these concerns over and over. My biggest concern is the safety of students going down the stairs from Dunrobin and then crossing one of the busiest streets in Aberdeen to get to school. That staircase is often extremely dangerous in the winter. It will only be a matter of time before a child splits their head open on the stairs. Walking through one catchment to get to another doesn't make sense. The Glenmohr area would make far more sense to be moved as most of those kids would not walk anyway, and if they did, they would be just as close. There are also lots of kids on the north side of Aberdeen drive that are much closer to Aberdeen elementary than kids from the Willowbrae/Telford area. They would not have to negotiate the dangerous stairs or cross such a busy street.

The fact that kids will not be attending school with their neighbors can be stressful to them, along with changing schools part way through.

This is just a small reiteration of concerns brought up last night.

Please reconsider these changes. Most of us in the affected area feel that this is a poorly thought out decision that will have huge affects on our children's education and well being.

Jaimie S

I am curious about the reasoning behind students in Aberdeen going to two different high schools. Would it not make more sense to have all students in Aberdeen, regardless of the elementary school they attend, go to the same high school? Many of these kids are neighbours and yet will never attend school together. Additionally, for many of these students, they will all wait at the same bus stop on Abbeyglen - but there would now be two sets of busses to take kids to two different high schools. Surely it makes more sense for children at other schools (Dufferin, Beattie or even those who live in Pineview) to attend Sahali Secondary, and then bus all of the Aberdeen group to South Kam (which isn't facing the same enrollment pressure; we all know that Aberdeen is going to continue to grow).

My final concern is - if the elementary catchment changes go ahead as planned for Aberdeen, and the secondary catchment remains as it is described here - many of the friend groups at Pac Way will then be separated for the rest of those kids' school careers. They will no longer go to elementary school together and won't even meet up again in high school. I feel this is a really poor decision for kids who live in the same neighborhood, only a street or two apart.

In summary, my suggestion is to make the high school catchment for both Aberdeen and Pac Way elementaries the same. Whether it's Sahali or South Kam, I am not particular (although for capacity, South Kam makes more sense). Please don't separate these neighbours. Please consider a different change to the feeder elementary schools.