FAQ – Sníne Elementary School – 2024-2025 Consultation

From October 2024 to May 2025, the District is engaging in community consultation to review proposed catchment changes due to the opening of Sníne Elementary School in Fall of 2026. As we gather feedback and questions, this page will be updated with Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
Important note: We do not provide answers to all individual emails. We will collect questions and answer them in this FAQ section.
To provide feedback on the proposed catchment changes, please email us: HERE
You can explore prior FAQs from earlier consultation in 2023 here.
Elementary (Aberdeen, McGowan Park, Summit, Dufferin)
Q: Why wasn't Pacific Way Elementary considered in this catchment change? |
A: There are too many students to consider moving to Sníne Elementary from Pacific Way Elementary. |
Q: In regards to the brand new area above Pacific Way Elementary, where would that area go? |
A: This area would stay with Pacific Way Elementary. |
Q: How many students will move from Aberdeen Elementary based on the proposed catchment change options? |
A: Approximately 40 students would move from Aberdeen Elementary to Sníne Elementary. |
Q: When we were projecting future growth, does it make sense to retain capacity at McGowan Park Elementary to some extent? |
A: In the proposed catchment changes, there is a small increase of 70 Summit Elementary students that would move to McGowan Park. |
Q: Could we move lower Aberdeen students to McGowan Park Elementary because they would be able to take the students more easily? |
A: We want to open Sníne Elementary with a reasonable number of students so the new school isn't too full right away. With the opening of Sníne Elementary, we are trying to reduce the current significant space pressures at McGowan Park Elementary. |
Q: Due to higher elevation in Aberdeen, could the portables be improved in quality, including water and sinks. At a higher elevation, there are issues with weather. |
A: We can add more power to portables, but the sewer line is often not near the portable so it gets more difficult and more costly. Additions are a possibility, but the challenge is that they do not necessarily result in better infrastructure because they are not equipped with additional gym, art, music, small meeting room spaces. If we did an addition at Sa-Hali Secondary, we would likely not get a new secondary school in Aberdeen, and we lose the ability to locate a new school where it should be located to ensure that students can attend school in their neighbourhood. |
Q: Why is the Pineridge facility available but not used for physical students on site? |
A: This comes down to the considerations of having a student bussed to a far away location vs. having them in a portable. Parents have commented that their preferences depends on whether their child is well developed at school, and if they are they will stay at that school. If we open Pineridge to all the new kids, and if we lose Kindergarten registrations, then we will end up draining the school of enrollment. |
Q: There still isn't much pressure off of Aberdeen with these catchment change proposals. How do we relieve pressure off Aberdeen Elementary? |
A: Until the District gets funding for new schools in Aberdeen, we won't be able to solve the pressure issue at Aberdeen schools. Portables is the first strategy and then the capital plan, but the capital plan is at the discretion of the Ministry. |
Q: Why don't we move the Knutsford students to Sníne? |
A: It’s complicated with bussing. We can look into options for moving the Knutsford students to Sníne (60) and lower Aberdeen (40) to Sníne. |
Q: People have concerns about students having to move schools multiple times due to catchment changes. |
A: We try not to move student more than once. Moving students from the only community they have ever known can be difficult for them. Knowing that we could possibly have two more schools coming in the future, we need to aim for less moves and less disruption as much as possible. |
Q: Regarding Knutsford students in secondary school, will they move to a new secondary school if their elementary school changes? |
A: Yes, student will attend the secondary school attached to their elementary catchment school. |
Q: Where is the current catchment line between Summit and McGowan? |
A: The red line in the map images is the current catchment line separating Summit and McGowan. |
Q: If a Grade 7 student gets to stay at their school, will their siblings stay the whole time as well? |
A: Yes, if a Grade 7 students stays we aim to keep siblings together. |
Q: Many students walk down Summit Dr. towards South Sa-Hali Elementary school, do they fall into the Summit Elementary catchment? |
A: If they are not French Immersion students, there catchment school would be Summit Elementary. |
Q: What about bringing Knutsford students back to McGowan? |
A: This would include approximately an additional 60 students and is something we can consider and look into. |
Q: One main impact is that while my kids go to Sníne their friends will go to McGowan Park. |
A: This is a common concern for catchment changes. There will be many students moving in this catchment change which may mean that students could have some of their friends moving with them as well. |
Q: If a student lives in the Sníne catchment area, would they go to Sníne rather than Dufferin? |
A: Yes, students are supposed to go to their catchment school. |
Q: With reducing students at certain elementary schools, will that affect LART time and library time. |
A: Yes, LART and library time are based on enrollment numbers and the supports will follow the students. |
Q: The Dufferin options seem set. |
A: Through the Catchment Change Consultation process, we are sharing the proposed changes and information but also gathering feedback and ideas that may be considered throughout this process. |
Q: Will Dufferin students go to Sa-Hali Secondary? |
A: Dufferin students continue to go to South Kamloops Secondary as their catchment secondary school. |
Q: If students apply apply for a transfer, can they get into Dufferin? |
A: This will depends on how the school is staffed and available spots. |
Q: Would Cherry Creek go to Sníne? |
A: Yes, students from Cherry Creek would attend Sníne and would be transported by bus. |
Q: Was there consideration for moving students based on the Pacific Way location? Pacific Way Elementary seems to have been left out of this discussion. |
A: In this case, some decisions were based on students who were being bussed. Aberdeen Elementary is included in this catchment change because it is overcrowded and we are seeking to balance enrolment pressures. Pacific Way Elementary was not included in this catchment change because we do not know if/when Copperhead Drive will be extended. |
Q: Does the catchment change include all of Lac Le Jeune? |
A: Yes, the catchment change includes the entire Lac le Jeune Road. |
Q: For Grade 7 students and their siblings that stay in their current school, will they move to that school's feeder secondary school or back to their catchment secondary school. |
A: These Grade 7 students would move to the catchment highschool of their feeder school, and the siblings would also be assumed to attend that same secondary school. |
Q: Is there an option to stay at Dufferin Elementary if the families/students choose? |
A: Students would move to their new catchment school, but there is a transfer administrative procedure. Depending on the space available in the school, a transfer may be considered. |
Q: How would this change the number of divisions? |
A: We currently have 12 divisions and if we follow the new catchment proposal, Dufferin would go down to 10 divisions. |
Q: How many portables can Dufferin have on site? |
A: There used to be four portables at Dufferin Elementary and now there are three. |
Q: If Dufferin loses their portables, would the school lose the potential of having after school care? |
A: Portables are moved when and where they are needed and sometimes we leave one for an extra room if enrollment supports it. |
Q: We live in Tobiano and out daughter currently goes to Dufferin, I was told that we may be moved to Sníne Elementary which is actually further away distance/driving wise. Why would this catchment change? |
A: As part of opening a new school, we need to change the catment areas to have students attend the new school. The benefit of a new school is that we can reduce some overcrowding at other schools. Sníne Elementary is about 1 km farther from Tobiano compared to Dufferin Elementary. |
Q: Why does Dufferin need to have max 200 students when they have the facilities and teachers to support 235+ like they have now? |
A: The benefit of a new school is that we can reduce some of the overcrowding at other schools. Dufferin Elementary has a capacity of 178 students, and it quite a bit over-capacity. Relocating some students to the new elementary school would allow for removal of some of the portables at Dufferin Elementary, which would give back some or all of the basketball court area that the portables are sitting on currently. |
Q: If our special needs daughter goes to Dufferin, and we moved from Tobiano to another area, would she not be grandfathered into Dufferin/and her younger sibling? |
A: Your daughter would not automatically be grandfathered to remain at Dufferin Elementary. There is a process for a transfer request. In Administrative Procedure 305: School Boundaries and Student Transfer Requests, Procedure 5 discusses a child's entitlement to enrol at any school or to transfer to another school, based on the following priorities (in descending order):
Decisions on transfers would also consider any educational programs, medical needs, and family groupings. |
Q: For the year Sníne opens, Grade 7 students are allowed to stay at their current school (if they are in the catchment for Sníne) and their siblings are also allowed to stay. When the Grade 7 student leaves for secondary school the following year, does the sibling get to stay or do they have to switch to Sníne? |
A: Past practice has been to allow siblings of Grade 7 students to stay. The final decision for which groups of students will be allowed to remain at the non-catchment school rests with the Board of Education. |
Q: Will 2026 Grade 7 students (who are able to stay at their current school) be students starting Grade 7 in Fall of 2026, or who are finishing Grade 7 in June 2026? |
A: Students that are starting Grade 7 in the Fall of 2026 will be able to stay in their current school for their Grade 7 year. |
Q: Why aren't we trying to decrease the overcapacity at Pacific Way Elementary? |
A: A few years ago, the District did a catchment change around Pacific Way where some Pacific Way Elementary students were relocated to Aberdeen Elementary. In this case, there isn't a natural boundary for Pacific Way students to be sent to Sníne Elementary so they were not included in these proposed catchment changes. |
Q: Will Dufferin bus parents be able to keep their kids at Dufferin just like how the Montessori parents said they wouldn’t switch schools? |
A: Grade 7 students and their siblings would be able to stay at their current school if the catchment change happens in their Grade 7 year. The difference for Montessori students is that if they choose to leave the Montessori program and still live in the catchment area, Aberdeen Elementary is their catchment school so they would be able to stay at that school. Montessori is a School of Choice and parents/families can choose not to attend this program. |
Q: Has it been considered that some kids already had to change catchment from Pacific Way to Aberdeen Elementary and might have to change catchment again? That seems like a lot of changes for the children in a short period. |
A: The students that were part of the Pacific Way/Aberdeen catchment changes a few years ago are not part of this Sníne catchment change. |
Q: The staff at Dufferin are amazing with my granddaughter who needs extra help. Can you guarantee that the same level of support will be at the new school? |
A: The District is starting this consultation process a year in advance is so that we can identify ways to better support these transitions in the best way possible to ensure we are supporting students and families with the support needed. We are committed to supporting students during this transition and providing the support they need. The District is entering the second phase of the community engagement process starting in January 2025 and there are other options provided that will be included the next round of consultation meetings and webinars. For that reason, the catchment changes will not be finalized until May/June 2025. If it turns out that you are still impacted by the change, we encourage you to work with your school principal to ensure proper transition supports are in place. |
Secondary (Sa-Hali & SKSS)
Q: How will we have facilities to support increased enrolment at Sa-Hali Secondary? |
A: Portables will be added as needed to manage the capacity at Sa-Hali Secondary. The Ministry of Education and Child Care is aware of these constraints. |
Q: We already have 8 portables at Sa-Hali Secondary, where would you envision the new ones going? |
A: There is room for 3 more portables near the existing ones. Any new portables at Sa-Hali Secondary would likely go on the upper field because the area further south of the existing portables is not School District property. |
Q: Do we have an idea to expand Sa-Hali Secondary rather than add portables? Have we considered expanding with a new wing? |
A: About 10 years ago, the District looked in the possibility of an expansion, but our site access is not ideal and a lot of the land surrounding the school is not ours. A new secondary school in Aberdeen is the right solution. There is a lot of growth and if we push an addition at Sa-Hali Secondary it could hamper our ability to get the new secondary school in Aberdeen. |
Q: Sa-Hali Secondary will be very full by the time Sníne students move to secondary school. Can they move them to another secondary school such as SKSS? |
A: SKSS is also very full. |
Q: What is the secondary catchment for Sníne Elementary? |
A: Sa-Hali Secondary |
Q: Would Grade 11 students get to stay at SKSS for Grade 12? What about students up to Grade 10? |
A: Grades 11 students would move into their Grade 12 year remaining at SKSS. Students in Grades 10 and under would move to their new catchment school. This is how catchment changes are made traditionally. |
Q: We would miss having the rural students at SKSS. |
A: Savona, Lac Le Jeune, and Knutsford students would not change and would remain at SKSS. Students from Tobiano and Cherry Creek that would move to Sa-Hali Secondary. |
Q: Is the vision to have all students from one elementary school go to one secondary school? |
A: Yes. |
Q: When will there be an addition plan (or a new building) for SKSS? |
A: Other overcrowding issues in elementary schools have needed to be prioritized. Within the District's Capital Plan, there are categories for New School Projects, School Expansion Projects, and School Replacement Projects – SKSS is on the School Replacement Projects list. |
Q: What does a timeline for replacement schools look like? |
A: If the District received support for one school per year on our Capital Plan, it would be 5 years before we could potentially receive support for replacement schools. |
Q: How does capacity at KSA affect enrolment totals? |
A: KSA takes pressure off of elementary schools because it is K-12. It would make overcrowding problems on the south shore worse if KSA was a secondary school only, but it would improve the secondary space problems. |
Q: How much does having schools of choice affect our ability to get a new school? |
A: Students need to be enrolled somewhere. On the south shore, they would go to the catchment school and contribute to overcrowding. To some extent, the KSA school of choice is full of students who live in the neighbourhood. |
Q: Which students would go to Sa-Hali Secondary instead of SKSS? |
A: Students from Tobiano, Cherry Creek, and Lac Le Jeune. |
Q: Why are we increasing the load on Sa-Hali Secondary when they are already over capacity? |
A: An elementary school is always connected with a catchment secondary school and Sníne Elementary will feed into Sa-Hali Secondary. These enrollment projections include anticipated growth in the Pineview Valley neighbourhood. The enrollment projects are updated every year. |
Q: Will there still be bus service for Grade 11 and 12 students from Tobiano to SKSS if the catchment changes happen in 2026? |
A: Students will be bused to their catchment school based on Board Policy 17 – Transportation of Students. Generally, additional bussing is provided to support Grade 12 students who are able to stay in the current school if the catchment change happens in the Grade 12 year. Bus routes are examined each year, and this would be applicable to this situation as well. |
New Secondary School in Aberdeen
Q: Have we received funding for the new secondary school in Aberdeen? |
A: The District has received funds from the Ministry of Education and Child Care for the purchase of the site for the new secondary school in Aberdeen. This funding is different from funding to build the new school, which has not been announced by the Ministry of Education and Child Care. |
Q: What is the timeframe for the new secondary school in Aberdeen? |
A: A new secondary school in Aberdeen is the number one priority on the District’s Capital Plan. A funding announcement would have to be made by the Ministry of Education and Child Care before the District could move forward with a timeline for this new school project. Once funding approval is received, it will likely be about 5 years for design and construction. |
Q: Do we know how big the new secondary school will be? |
A: At this point, the District is considering a new secondary school of around 900 students. School design and capacity details will be finalized once the new school is approved by the Ministry of Education and Child Care. |
Q: Where will the new secondary schools in Aberdeen be located? |
A: The site for the new secondary schools in Aberdeen has been secured and is near Pacific Way Elementary School. |
Q: With the pressure on Sa-Hali Secondary, would that speed up the timeline for the new high school? |
A: The District submits a capital plan to the Ministry of Education and Child Care every year. The Ministry does not pay attention to these capacity numbers as much as they do with high capacity in other areas. A new secondary school in Aberdeen is at least five years away, depending on funding announcements from the Ministry. There is still hope for this new school to be approved by the Ministry because we have received funding for the school site. |
Q: Are there future capital plans for secondary schools? |
A: A new secondary school in Aberdeen has been on the District's Capital Plan for numerous years and the Ministry of Education and Child Care have funded the school site. We are uncertain as to when we will get an announcement on this new school. Once we get the announcement from the Ministry, the new secondary school will be approximately 5 years away, at minimum. |
Q: Would all catchments shuffle again once there is a secondary school in Aberdeen? |
A: Yes. A catchment change for the new secondary school in Aberdeen would impact SKSS and Sa-Hali Secondary. |
Q: Why wouldn’t you build a school at a location that is able to also have a high school close? |
A: The reason Sníne Elementary is located in Pineview Valley is because that is where many elementary students are and we aim to promote the concept of neighbourhood schools where possible. A new secondary school in Aberdeen is the top priority on the District’s Capital Plan. The District has received funds from the Ministry of Education and Child Care for the purchase of the site for this new secondary school in Aberdeen. This funding is different from funding to build the new school, which has not been announced by the Ministry of Education and Child Care. |
Sníne School Design & Facilities
Q: What is the capacity of Sníne? |
A: 453 students. |
Q: With the design of Sníne Elementary, are there similarities to the new Parkcrest Elementary design (e.g., classrooms being smaller and not having bookcases) and has there been feedback on the impact the design? |
A: There hasn't been much feedback at this time as teachers just moved to Parkcrest in the spring of 2024. In terms of design, everything is formula driven from the Ministry of Education and Child Care. The ratios in elementary schools are very tight which makes it difficult to design. Storage space is maximized in the Sníne design. Windows are a priority and maximized as much as possible. |
Q: Are there ever “stock drawings” for school design plans that could expedite building schools? |
A: Every school site and road access is different, so “stock drawings/plans” do not work well. Once the Ministry of Education and Child Care supports a project, we then move to the Project Definition Report (a business case that includes information like the capacity of the school). There are also things like city requirements (for example, parking) that must be considered, as parking requirements are dependent on school size. |
Q: With the opening capacity of Sníne at 66%, how many students would that represent? |
A: Just under 300 student (297). |
Q: Where there thoughts about building Sníne Elementary bigger? |
A: Sníne Elementary is as big as the site would handle, and it is two levels. The challenge is the topography made it just under 18 m in elevation change from the SE to NW corner, and the retaining wall is 8 m high. |
Q: Sníne doesn't seem to have a parking lot for parents, and there is little street parking. |
A: Sníne Elementary will have a parking lot that is sized to meet the municipal by-law requirements. Copperhead Drive is also being extended up to Sníne Elementary. |
Consultation Process & Communications
Q: What happens after you gather all the community feedback? |
A: Following all the consultation meetings with school staff and parents (Oct/Nov 2024) and the first round of webinars (Dec 2024), the feedback will be presented to the Sníne Elementary Future Growth Planning Committee. At that time, we should have a good sense of the best way to proceed. The Board will review the consultation results so far in January 2025. Throughout January, February, and March 2025, we will follow up with the staff and PACs of each of the school communities affected to discuss any changes from the initial round of feedback and gather further feedback. In March and April 2025 the Sníne Catchment Change advisory committee will review the feedback, any required changes, and present the results to the Board. |
Q: When is the catchment change going to happen? |
A: The District is planning these catchment changes for when Sníne Elementary School opens, which is expected in Fall of 2026 so this would likely start for the 2026-2027 school year. We are currently in the consultation phase and the proposed catchment changes will need to be approved by the Board of Education before they are final. Following all the community consultation, the goal is to present final catchment change options to the Board in May-June 2025. |
Q: Sníne doesn't seem to have a parking lot for parents, and there is little street parking. |
A: Sníne Elementary will have a parking lot that is sized to meet the municipal by-law requirements. Copperhead Drive is also being extended up to Sníne Elementary. |
Q: When is the catchment change going to happen? |
A: The District is planning these catchment changes for when Sníne Elementary School opens, which is expected in Fall of 2026 so this would likely start for the 2026-2027 school year. We are currently in the consultation phase and the proposed catchment changes will need to be approved by the Board of Education before they are final. Following all the community consultation, the goal is to present final catchment change options to the Board in May-June 2025. |
PAC
Q: Is there support for a new PAC at Sníne? |
A: Sníne will receive funding from the school PACs where the students have come from, which has happened with other schools that have opened recently. The District Parent Advisory Council also provides PAC resources and support. |
Q: Can we let PACs know soon about the per student amount for students leaving to go to Sníne? PACs would like to plan ahead. |
A: Yes, we can provide that information as soon as it is available. |
Q: How do I start a PAC in a new school? |
A: As outlined in the School Act: If no PAC has been established at a school then a letter needs to be written to the Board of Education requesting the establishment of a PAC at that school. A Board of Education must approve. Interested parents must create a Constitution and Bylaws for presentation at the inaugural PAC meeting which can be called by and chaired by the principal. Once elections are held at the inaugural PAC meeting the principal should turn the chair over to the new PAC Chair. Please see below for the special section in the school act that speaks to PACs. Parents’ advisory council (1) Parents of students of school age attending a school or a Provincial school may apply to the board or to the minister, as the case may be, to establish a parents’ advisory council for that school. (2) On receipt of an application under subsection (1), the board or minister must establish a parents’ advisory council for the school or the Provincial school. (3) There must be only one parents’ advisory council for each school or Provincial school. Regarding the sharing of PAC gaming funds for a newly established, or resurrected, PAC: PACs apply for gaming grants for the next school year by June 30th based on the amount of students enrolled during the current school year. In the Fall of the following year, PACs receive these gaming grants on a per student funding model. After the new school opens, and once enrolment numbers are confirmed, the newly established or resurrected PAC can request funds from based on how many of their current students came from a certain school due to the necessary catchment change. For example: School A opens with 200 students. In the prior year, the students attended School B (150) and School C (50). School A can request gaming grant funds for 150 students from School B and 50 students from School C. In the past, Assistant Superintendents have written a letter on behalf of the new PAC, and had principals share the letter with their PAC chairs. It is important to recognize that PACs can decide not to share/allocate their gaming grant money with new PACs. These PACs are encouraged by the District and BCCPAC, but it is up to each PAC. |
Enrollment Projections
Q: With projections going forward, is it flat growth? |
A: Enrollment projections are based on discussions with the City of Kamloops and landowners in which we get an idea of future plans. If it is an undeveloped piece of land, we do not project students from the area for at least 2 years. We also estimate timing for units to be built. The District's Facilities Director does this process every year, and each year the numbers look a bit different. Projections still show enrolment growth into the future. |
Q: How are the enrollment projections for further out calculated? |
A: When looking at enrollment projections, we consider the issues of housing and migration. Migration is an in-and-out calculation. Housing is considered based on available land. Housing can be correlated to students and each housing type has student yields (i.e., a high density, high growth neighbourhood, houses will have a higher yield). The District is in communication with developers to aid in these projections. |
Q: With Sníne opening at 66%, if it doesn't increase would there be more catchment changes? |
A: There are currently no plans to “artificially increase” enrolment right away. |
Montessori
Q: Could we move the Montessori to a different location in town? |
A: There isn't space for the Montessori within any other District schools in the South-West sector. |
Q: For families in Montessori who are living in the catchment, could they stay in the Aberdeen? |
A: Yes |
Q: Would the Montessori daycare near Aberdeen Elementary no longer be feeding into Montessori? |
A: We have not gone that far to look into this. The nearby Montessori daycare feeding into the Montessori at Aberdeen Elementary is definitely a strength of the program being there. |
Q: Could Montessori students keep SKSS as their catchment secondary school? |
A: Yes, they can if they are living in the SKSS catchment. |
Q: What happens if one Kindergarten student is in Montessori and one Kindergarten student is in Aberdeen – do they have to go to their preferred catchment school or does each child have a different catchment area school? |
A: We work through these cases individually. |
Q: How do you get into Montessori? What will we do if a family stays to attend Montessori and then find out it does not work for their children? |
A: In order to get into Montessori, families have to register for this School of Choice. When students enter the program half-way through their schooling with little experience in Montessori, it often does not work for the student. If Montessori does not work for a student, they can transfer back to their catchment school, unless there is space in Aberdeen Elementary. |
Q: Does the Montessori change include the original catchment change? |
A: Yes, the Montessori catchment change includes the lower Aberdeen area catchment change. Hugh Allen and Howe Road area students could remain and, if we remove Montessori students, it would potentially produce a more balanced number. There may also be some cost savings with bussing with this option. When considering moving Montessori, there are several factors to consider. Some families do not like having Montessori located within a school and would like for it to be in its own location, such as Pineridge (the concerns with moving to Pineridge is that it currently houses the International and Provincial Online Learning programs). Others do not want to see Montessori leave Aberdeen Elementary because it is a tightly-knit program that positively impacts the community feel of the school and many Montessori students are from the Aberdeen catchment (if Montessori leaves, many parents commented that they would stay at Aberdeen and leave the Montessori program). |
Q: Would it make sense to expand Montessori? |
A: This is an ongoing discussion with Montessori staff and parents. If there is sufficient interest, this could be an opportunity to build the program. Montessori families would like to see the program move to their own K-6 school (such as the Oak Hills building, Happyvale campus, or the @Kool Pineridge site). Given space constraints in the south west sector, we have not been in the position to do this and it has not been added to the Capital Funding Plan. |
Q: Have we considered Grade 7 for Montessori? Is it common elsewhere to expand Montessori? |
A: Since Montessori is run in a three-year age cycle (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-15), the grade level grouping would not work to add Grade 7. The District would need to look at changing the cycles to just two year cycles in Intermediate 4/5 and 6/7 and this would require considerable change in how things are done, so consultation would be required. Merging neighbourhood and Montessori in their Grade seven year has been part of the District's Grade-to-Grade Transition readiness strategy to prepare students for high school. This has allowed for a year of transition to build connections and new relationships, experience a new educator after having the same teacher for Grade 4/5/6, and to see the BC Curriculum through a lens that will be more typical of their learning for Grades 8-12. This transition is quite smooth for most students. Students in a Montessori environment have focused on developing their competencies to be self-motivated learners, adaptable, and responsible for their own education, and this serves them well when faced with new challenges. In researching other Montessori programs across the Province, it looks different in many different districts. For example, Richmond, Prince George, and Courtney includes up to Grade 7, Coquitlam includes up to Grade 8, and Maple Ridge includes up to Grade 6. |
Q: How many students do not get into Montessori? What is the waiting list? |
A: Each year, during School of Choice Kindergarten Registration there is great interest in Montessori. The last three years of trending data shows between 50-56 Kindergarten School of Choice Montessori applicants. The Montessori program at Aberdeen Elementary takes 18 students annually into the one Kindergarten Montessori classroom. Families can put in order which School of Choice they want to be considered for during the Lottery Draw. If families are not successful getting into Montessori, many then go to their second or third choice of Kamloops School of the Arts, Bert Edwards Science and Technology, or French Immersion. Many also choose to attend their own neighborhood school if they do not get their first School of Choice. There are so many Montessori Preschools and Daycare Programs in Kamloops that parents of pre-Kindergarten students (2-4 years old) want to continue the path of Montessori once they start Kindergarten. Aberdeen Elementary also houses the Aberdeen Hill Montessori (AHM) Preschool on site in a classroom at the school. Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten transition work is done with this team at AHM and the Administration of Aberdeen Elementary to include the preschool as much as possible. This creates a connection the parents seek in hopes of getting one of the 18 Montessori Lottery Draw spots. After neighbourhood Kindergarten registration is complete, Aberdeen Elementary has typically had between 10-20 names remain on the Montessori waitlist for September intake. After September, the waitlist reduces to between 0 and 5 once families have confirmed they are not getting a spot in Montessori and have connected via SPARK sessions and Gradual entry with their neighborhood placement. Generally, after Grade 1, students are not called to join Montessori because they would have then missed two years of the program, material use, and structures. They are then removed from the Montessori Waitlist. All families are called each June and September to see if they want to remain on the Waitlist. |
Q: Does the District get applications for School of Choice programs because parents don't want their child to go to the catchment school? |
A: Parents are often happy to get into a School of Choice program because there is a feeling of belonging. |
Q: Could there be another Montessori program in another school? |
A: Yes, but there are challenges with available space, particularly on the south shore. |
Q: Where do Montessori students come from? |
A: The majority of Montessori students (70 out of 120) come from Aberdeen and the rest come from varied schools District-wide. The two other schools that have a fairly high number of students who attend Montessori are Summit (15) and Beattie (10). The Montessori School of Choice Catchment is District-wide. Parents from any area in the Kamloops-Thompson School District can apply for Schools of Choice. Parents must be willing to drive their own child to the campus. The only parents that receive Transportation for Montessori School of Choice are Knutsford/Long Lake families because the bus is in place for their neighbourhood school. There are a small numbers of families that drive from Westsyde and Sahali to attend Aberdeen Montessori. The majority of the Montessori students are actually in the Aberdeen catchment and had older siblings in Montessori and so the family had a ‘grandfathered’ spot to be with their sibling in the program. |
Q: What is the average rate of students coming into Montessori? |
A: Approximately 20 students per year |
Q: Is it hard to train teachers to be Montessori teachers? |
A: Training for the Montessori Program does require unique skill sets, including:
Despite these requirements, many teachers find the training process to be inspiring and transformative. It equips teachers with the tools to create enriching learning environments and support children's natural curiosity and desire to learn. When it comes to teacher training there are many different programs and options. The District's Human Resources Department determines the credentials that are required to hire teachers for Montessori. The following credentials are required in our District: a Diploma or Certificate by the AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) or similar certification (https://montessori-ami.org/). To date, Human Resources has not had difficulty filling positions that require Montessori. This is probably because the size of the program in District is well matched to our pool of qualified teachers. |
Q: What are common reasons that people chose Montessori? |
A: In a word, choice. Providing a choice for students who may learn from a hands-on visual approach. Students who are intrinsically motivated to learn at their own pace thrive in this environment. Parents appreciate the self-directed work model vs. direct instruction or whole class lessons. Content is cross curricular. Parents appreciate the same environment, peers, and teacher for a three year cycle and that siblings are in the same class together. In SD73, this has often meant smaller class sizes because there is no late entry past Grade 2. It is not highly transient. The curriculum is aligned with the BC Curriculum but also focuses on Practical Life applications, Cultural Studies, Community Involvement, and Global Awareness. Parents appreciate the Place Based Learning where Outdoor Education is a focus and the concentration on and connection to the First Peoples Principles of Learning. |
Q: What is the percentage of Montessori students that live in the Aberdeen Elementary catchment? |
A: 58% of Montessori students (70 out of 120) come from the Aberdeen Elementary catchment area. |
Transportation & Walk Limits
Q: I am concerned regarding access from the Glenmohr area to the new school. Please work with the city to show us the walkable routes. |
A: Currently, the School District is unaware of any plans the City has to provide roads and/or sidewalks from the Glenmohr area to the Pineview Valley area. As such, the School District plans on leaving Pacific Way Elementary as the catchment area school for the Glenmohr area. |
Q: Will all Dufferin students be bussed to Sa-Hali? |
A: Students will be bused to their catchment school based on Board Policy 17 – Transportation of Students. |
Q: What are the walk limits? |
A: As outlined in Board Policy 17 – Transportation of Students, the walk limit for elementary students is 4 KM and the walk limit for secondary students is 4.8 KM to school. |
Q: Are walk limits designed based on actual walkways or “as the crow flies”? |
A: Walk limits are based on actual walkways and roadways. |
Q: In regards to busing for students in Grade 7, would they be eligible for transportation? |
A: The Grade 7 students are eligible for transportation to their catchment school, which includes grandfathered students. |
Q: There are a lot of families who are depending on the bus route in the Harrison Way area. Have we considered the impact on bus routes that they would need to take? |
A: We are planning to provide busing for students in the lower Aberdeen area affected by the proposed catchment change, since a portion of this area is outside of the walk limits to Sníne Elementary. It is a bit too early to confirm the actual layout of the new bus route, but this will be something we look at and consider going into the neighborhood a bit further to serve these families. |
Q: I understand why Pacific Way Elementary wasn't considered in this catchment change, because Sníne Elementary would fill up too quickly. Was there consideration of a new road being built? |
A: The City of Kamloops is building Copperhead Drive to the frontage of the new school. Our understanding is that the road will stop there and then there will be an emergency access, gravel road between Pineview Valley and Aberdeen for now. |
Q: If Grade 7 students continue to be bussed next year, what happens to their siblings' transportation? |
A: Generally, additional bussing is provided to support the Grade 7 students and their siblings as long as they are in their current school. Bus routes are examined each year and that would be applicable to this situation as well. |
Q: Will the students located below Howe be bussed to Sníne? |
A: Yes, some students living in this area are beyond walk limits to Sníne and so they will be bussed. |
Q: What are the transportation options for Pineview students attending Sa-Hali Secondary. |
A: Bussing will stay the same for Pineview Valley secondary students. All secondary students from Pineview Valley going to Sa-Hali Secondary are currently bused. |
Q: Some students are on the bus for a long day. Can bus time be considered in the catchment changes. |
A: Yes, bus time is considered. |
Q: Is it just the first year that there would be a five-minute increase in bus time for Lac Le Jeune students? |
A: This increase would likely stay because we still have secondary students going downtown and Sníne is a drop point. |
Q: Is there a plan for bus and car congestion going up to the new school compared to the bus space? |
A: Copperhead Drive is being extended up to Sníne Elementary and the school parking lot is sized to meet the municipal by-law requirements which means there is room for school bus pick-up/drop-off and parking. |
School Constructions & Environmental Concerns
Q: We have heard that there will be another pond built south of Python Lake and west of the school construction fence. Is this true? If so, how big will it be and when will construction take place. Will this involve cutting down any more trees or shrubs? |
A: The new pond will be approximately 3,000ft². Construction will take place in 2025. There are no plans to cut down any trees for the pond, as the pond will be shaped to work around the trees. |
Q: There is a small section of fence on the SE corner of Python Lake which goes from the lake to the school construction perimeter fence. It was put there when the City's Dry Stormwater Retention project started. It blocks off the trail on the east side of Python Lake. Now that the Dry Stormwater Retention Pond project is complete, could this section of fence be take down? The City says the fencing belongs to the School District. |
A: The fence has been removed. |
Q: Do we need to go through certain builders for new schools? |
A: Once a new school projects is announced by the Ministry of Education and Child Care, the District will publicly tender the construction project, which means it is open to all general contractors. |
Q: Is there potential to do a staggered start? When David Thompson was built, there were students in portables to start on site. It is exciting to see a school being built. Could we do that same approach with Sníne Elementary? |
A: We would need to be in an extremely difficult situation to take this approach as it is very difficult to have staff and students on site during construction. When we put the extension on Valleyview Secondary, this process was difficult to manage. |
Q: When will Copperhead Drive be developed to come through to Aberdeen? |
A: It will depend on future development. At this time, Copperhead Drive only goes up to Sníne Elementary School. |
Other
Q: If younger siblings are not in school yet, can they attend the same school as their older siblings if they were able to stay? |
A: This process applies to the students in the school already, not incoming Kindergarten students, as an example. AP 306: Schools of Choice, French Immersion and Academies guides entry as well as AP 305 School Boundaries and Student Transfer Requests. |
Q: Will redesigns for older schools be considered for the future? |
A: Within the District's Capital Plan, there are categories for New School Projects, School Expansion Projects, and School Replacement Projects. The same schools have been on the list for a number of years. Enrolment growth pressures are the priority for the Ministry of Education and Child Care. |
Q: Is the goal to be “portable-free”? |
A: Ideally, the District would be "portable-free", but we will not achieve that with these catchment changes. However, schools that see reductions in students will not need as many portables. Where portables are no longer required at schools, we move them as we need them elsewhere. |
Q: What about students with special needs, are there exceptions? |
A: There are sometimes exceptions. That’s part of the reason we take an extra year to consult. |
Q: How will this affect staffing? |
A: There are always changes in staffing when students change schools. If a school's drops down in enrollments (e.g., from 270 to 200 students), then the school would lose staff. |
Q: Would there be more busy roads to cross with these catchment changes? |
A: The east end of theproposed lower Aberdeen catchment change will require a bus as it is just past the walk limits. This will help with some students crossing busy roads. |
Q: How is the school zone area determined? |
A: Municipal road guidelines outline where school zones start and end. School zones are the purview of the city. |
Q: Why wouldn't the other side of Howe be included in the catchment change? You would be able to see Sníne from some of those homes. |
A: If the Howe Road area on the west side of Pacific Way is what is being referred to, the reason we have not added that area to the catchment change is that there are currently no city sidewalks or city roadways connecting this area to Copperhead Drive. |
Q: Will Sníne have before and after school care similar to Aberdeen Elementary? |
A: The design of Sníne Elementary includes a room for child care but there have been no decisions made on what form of child care will be available. That will be decided closer to the school’s opening. |
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