Juniper Ridge / Marion Schilling

For the proposed boundary review of Juniper Ridge/Marion Schilling and proposed re-opening of Ralph Bell Elementary, a 60-day period of public consultation as per Board Policy 13 will be confirmed after a review of the Board Report by the Board’s Education, and Finance Planning Committees, and a recommendation to the Board on April 19, 2021.

The 60-day period of public consultation will be held from Apr.20 to Jun. 21, and a public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, via zoom, to discuss these proposed changes. 

During that time the public can submit their questions and comments via email to facility input. They can also register to speak at the virtual public meeting on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. They will also be able to submit questions during the public meeting.

Note: The available time for people to speak at the Juniper Ridge/Marion Schilling Public Consultation Meeting is now all booked. To be placed on the waiting list, please email facility input, and put 'Waiting List for Juniper Ridge/Marion Schilling Consultation' in the subject line. 

 7. Will Ralph Bell be renovated before re-opening in September 2022?

Yes. For SD73 to bring the Ralph Bell Elementary facility back to an operating school, and to a condition similar to Westsyde Elementary when it was re-opened in 2019, a capital expenditure of approximately $853,000 is required. Renovations, infrastructure improvements and fixtures would include: 

8. What measures will be taken to ensure the school is kept clean and needle-free, and the children safe?

Each school has an approved supervision plan prior to the start of school to ensure adequate supervision is provided during the school day.  Adjustments are made throughout the year to ensure the supervision plan is meeting the needs of the school.

9. Can students already attending Juniper Ridge Elementary that are affected by the catchment change apply to transfer so they can remain in the school?

Students already attending Juniper Ridge Elementary that are affected by the catchment boundary change can apply to transfer. 

Administrative Procedure 305 School Boundaries and Student Transfer Requests.
(from the AP) 

Each year students and parents will be given notice that commencing on March 1st of each year they may request transfer to another school for the coming school year. Notice shall be publicized in school newsletters and on the School District 73 website. Transfer requests must be submitted in writing to the receiving principal and approved by students’ parents to be considered. 

10. What does SD73 do with regard to developing and publicizing  future plans?   

Many different considerations to school configurations are made to relieve enrollment pressures.

The attached table shows the projections if only the grades 6 and 7s are moved from both Juniper and Marion Schilling.

Long term, this makes Ralph Bell the most over capacity at 162%, compared to Juniper at 136% and Marion Schilling at 128%.

This option also splits families up which can make it difficult for families in other ways. 

17. Will there be an audit of JRES to ensure that the current out of catchment students attending the school are not part of the school’s overcapacity?

18. How will Ralph Bell be staffed? Will teachers from JRES transfer? 

Staffing is determined by the collective agreement. Some teachers from JRES may be eligible to transfer, but that is an individual teacher’s decision to make. 

19. Why can’t the capital that you spend on upgrading Ralph Bell go towards expanding Juniper Ridge? 

Since the School District does not have sufficient capital reserves to fund an expansion or new school on its own, Ministry of Education funding is required. Regardless of whether a project is an expansion or a new school, the Ministry of Education has to support and approve a project before the School District can proceed.

It is unlikely that the Ministry of Education would support and approve an expansion of JRES when there is an empty school relatively close by.

20. Will there be a special education budget? How will the special needs of children be met at a new school? 

Yes, there will be a special education budget and it will be to provide supports similar to those at Juniper Ridge.

21. Why does it take so long to build a new school?

The School District applies to the Ministry of Education for capital funding every year. Until the Ministry of Education supports a project, the School District has no control over the project timeline. Essentially, we are in competition with all the other school districts for Ministry of Education capital dollars.

Once the Ministry has supported a project, the School District must complete a further business case analysis to confirm that the enrolment projections warrant a new school and to review procurement options. This step usually takes one year, as it is based on the Ministry's funding cycle.

Once the Ministry has approved the business case, the design and construction would typically take approximately 2-1/2 to 3 years depending on the complexity of the site and design.

22. If this proposal for a boundary change and the reopening of Ralph Bell changes (to a grade 5/6/7 eg), what happens? Is there another consultation process?

Through this consultation period we may hear of better solutions, but everyone should know where we are headed, doing nothing is not a viable option when we look at the children that will be attending JRES five or 10 years from now. We have to find solutions that relive that pressure that we know is coming. We are interested to learn of other viable suggestions through this process. 

23. What would the ventilation conditions be like in Ralph Bell?

The HVAC at Ralph Bell is currently maintained by SD73. While the equipment may be different that some other schools, it is maintained to the same standard as all of the schools in the district.

24. Can SD73 comment on timelines for a new school in Juniper West? Do we need to even be looking at 2030 at this point given you are only considering interim measures? The forecasts are just that, forecasts, with considerable uncertainty around them. 

25. Will there be an upgrade budget detailing the work required for the renovations to Ralph Bell, and will a portion of that budget accommodate upgrades to the fence around the school property?

The $853,000 capital upgrade cost allocated to the reopening of Ralph Bell is based on a room-by-room budget analysis that looks at every aspect of the building, its grounds and perimeter. The fence has been receiving regular maintenance. The fence will be inspected and upgraded if required whether that is through the regular maintenance program or as a capital upgrade. 

26. What would the timeline be for a new school in Juniper West? 

28. Many parents wanted to present this evening but where told there was no space, yet only a few people presented this evening.

There was allocated time for 12 presenters, this evening, 120 minutes. Everyone that had asked to be on the waitlist was invited to present. Six people declined on May 5, the day of the presentation, and two people earlier in the week. 

29. Juniper West is positioned to get a new school, what is the location/address of the site?

30. How will staffing be determined? 

All school staffing is determined by the collective agreement and there is a process in place. All staff at affected schools are included in the consultation process with opportunities to provide comment and to ask questions directly to the Assistant Superintendents of Schools, Trish Smillie and Bill Hamblett. 

31. What per cent of the public concerns will weigh in on the final decision?

32. What safety measures will be in place to address the increased criminal activity in the area of the school? Will there be an additional budget for this?

The specifics around Ralph Bell have yet to be examined and there has been no discussion regarding criminal activity in the area. The District does take a broad approach to safety in all its schools and has started a program that will be implemented in all schools with respect to safety, video surveillance and working closely with community partners, including the RCMP and City of Kamloops Community Services. The safety at Ralph Bell will be approached the same way.  

33. Will the District approach the City to install a crossing light on Valleyview Drive to accommodate safe pick-up and drop-off?

Once a decision is made by the Board on June 28, 2021, and it is determined whether the prosed change will go ahead, then the specifics around safe pick-up, drop-off and any traffic control measures involving the City of Kamloops will be addressed.

34. Marion Schilling is on a huge lot and below average capacity for a K-7 school in SD73. Has there been consideration of increasing capacity there?   

The School District believes that the best long-term solution for Juniper Ridge is a new school in Juniper West.

Based on Ministry Area Standards, an expanded school would not qualify for more space in all areas of the school such as the gym, so there would be less gym time for all students.

Since the School District does not have sufficient capital reserves to fund an expansion or new school on its own, Ministry of Education funding is required. Regardless of whether a project is an expansion or a new school, the Ministry of Education has to support and approve a project before the School District can proceed. It is unlikely that the Ministry of Education would provide capital to support an addition to a school with Ralph Bell nearby and unoccupied.  While Ralph Bell is occupied by daycares, according to the Ministry of Education, SD73’s mandate is K-12 and our priority must be to provide space for K-7. 

35. Why can you not just prioritize enrollment at JRES to current residents? Couldn’t the new students moving into the new development that don’t already have siblings in the existing school go to Ralph Bell? 

All enrolment projections are calculated the same way by many school districts throughout the province. A third party, Baragar Demographics, provides base annual enrolment projections. They have been providing these projections for decades. Baragar Demographics take into account many factors such as short term/long term migration rates, birth rates, participation rates, cohort retention rates, and any population trends they are aware of. The School District reviews the projections and where necessary makes modifications based on local knowledge. Local knowledge includes items such as status of housing developments and new information received from local authorities.

As one of many concerned parents/residents of the Juniper community, I urge you to consider the detrimental effects that this potential catchment change will have on the students at risk of being pulled from their current schools. We have been experiencing unprecedented times due to Covid-19 which has unfortunately affected the mental health and well-being of many individuals, including our children. Disconnecting a small portion of JRES students from their community will only increase mental turmoil. The biggest question I have is how does this catchment change benefit the children that are forced from their neighbourhood school and segregated from their community? 

I understand that it is not an ideal situation to have schools running overcapacity and something needs to be done to resolve the issue, however, I am deeply opposed to this particular proposal for several reasons.  

All one needs to do is look at the map of the potential Ralph Bell catchment to see that it does not make geographical sense. Juniper Ridge is a very unique neighbourhood and I cannot understand how the idea of removing a small portion of students from their neighbourhood school, pairing them with students from neighbourhoods that aren’t even remotely close to them is even a feasible option. Community is a vital part of a child’s upbringing and telling them they are no longer welcome at their school will have devastating emotional consequences and furthermore, will create a divide within our tight-knit community.   

Like many Juniper families, we carefully considered what community we wanted to raise our children in.  We did not take the decision to move from the Lower Mainland lightly but we knew our children would greatly benefit from living in such a family friendly location. Our son will be going into grade three this September and the amount of insecurity and stress this proposal has already caused him is immeasurable. He struggles from anxiety on a daily basis and is absolutely crushed by the thought of leaving the comfort of his school, best friends and teachers.  Not only has this deeply affected our son but it has completely robbed our daughter of the joy of starting kindergarten.  Our daughter has been talking about becoming a “Juniper Ridge Jaguar” like her big brother for months and has been so excited to go to the same school as her two best friends but now she frequently asks why she may have to be separated from her neighbourhood peers. Entering the school system as a kindergarten student is a very big transition in itself; attending JRES for one year and then being pulled and sent to another school is extremely disruptive and greatly upsetting. Why would any school district subject children to this, especially considering the times we are living in? 

To put salt in the wound, your proposal allows new lots in Juniper, with houses that aren’t even built yet to be given spots in the school over established homes with existing students. The fact that builders and real estate agents are already advertising a catchment change that hasn’t even been approved yet in attempts of profiting off this proposal is absolutely disgusting. Furthermore, why is the board allowing current “out of catchment” students to remain at JRES over students who live in the catchment?  Why has an audit not been done? It is incredibly frustrating that this concern will not be addressed with proof of address. 

To say that I am disappointed by the public consultation is an understatement as many of the questions and concerns brought up by parents were not properly addressed. In my opinion, it does not feel that any consideration has been given to what would actually be in the best interest of these children. I can only hope that this public consultation comes from a place of general concern for our community and students, not just for the optics.  

I, like many parents, am in favour of a 6/7 option in attempts to keep Juniper kids together.  I understand that there has been some opposition to this but I would like you to keep in mind that this is coming from parents whose children will not be affected by the current proposal.  I can guarantee there is more opposition but segregating our small portion of Juniper West and I urge you to come up with a more viable solution. At the very least, to not even consider finding a way to grandfather existing students is a complete insult to the community and the students deserve far better. 

As you are aware, we are very concerned about losing the 150 licensed spaces that we currently have at Ralph Bell when the school board reopens Ralph Bell.  We were the first leasee at this location and currently lease 8 classrooms and have for over 10 years.  While it is true that we were aware that this could eventually happen, it actually happening is a very scary and uncertain time for us as we are scrambling trying to figure out how to not displace families.  

We do have a few ideas for alternate care for Kamloops Kidz families when Ralph Bell reopens that we want to share with you: 

• Allow Kamloops Kidz to operate a School Age Child Care on School Grounds program as a community partner in contract with the school board (“SACC”).  Currently Kamloops Kidz is licensed for 60 schoolers at the Ralph Bell campus with additional license for 20 kindergartners so 80 children in total at Ralph Bell.  Further, we are licensed for 50 school age children at our Orchards Walk campus. 

When Ralph Bell is taken back by the school board, it will displace 150 licensed spaces at Ralph Bell that we are licensed for.  Some of those licensed spaces will be able to be absorbed into our new campus at Orchards Walk.  However, in order for those spaces to be absorbed, the school age program of 50 spaces at Orchards will either greatly decrease and/or be eliminated.  

• In order to still provide services to our school age children (130 spaces (80 Ralph Bell/50 Orchards), we propose that we operate a SACC at the following schools:  
• Ralph Bell – this would continue to be a “hub” for after schoolers and we would bus the children from the other schools that we service that we don’t have a school age program at (ie. Lloyd George, KSA and Marion Schilling).  
• Dallas – this would be only for our Dallas families as they will be displaced when Ralph Bell under 5’s move into the Orchards campus as we would likely no longer have room for them at Orchards.    
• Juniper – this would be for the Juniper families.  We have serviced this school for over 10 years and want to continue providing the valuable service to families that require it.  

Where would the care be provided?  

We understand that you don’t know how much room will be available after the new catchments take effect, however, all schools have a gym and washrooms.  We believe, if necessary, a quality program can be run even with limited space.  If there is a classroom available or a portable, that would be the preferred choice.  However, if there is not a classroom or portable available, we are open to an “out of the box” solution, such as, use of the school gymnasium and/or school library on days the gym is not available.  There is a large push for children to be outside for most of their time.  The program could be largely run outside, as long as the children have access to bathrooms and shelter in inclement weather.  

As for our schoolers when we lose the Ralph Bell space this 2021-2022 term?   While we don’t know when we will lose the space, we are anticipating it will be late winter/early spring of 2022.  I am wondering if they may continue at Ralph Bell, perhaps in some different way.  Perhaps we can only have one or two classrooms as you have to renovate all others.  Perhaps we could just use the gym as you are renovating the classrooms.  

We are open to working with the school district to find any and all solutions so that our schoolers are not displaced.  While in a perfect world, we would not lose any of our 150 spaces, we are the most concerned about our schoolers.  Kamloops Kidz has long been providing school age care in our Community for well over 15 years (started while we were housed inside the South Sahali Elementary School) and currently has 7 buses just for that purpose.  We are well entrenched in the Community to provide the quality care that schoolers need and we would like to continue to provide the much needed service.  

We have had a long standing relationship with the school board (over 15 years) and are very grateful for their assistance in allowing us to provide much needed care to families in our community over that time.  We are hopeful that you are open to working with us to find a solution quickly as our families deserve and want answers as to how this will look in the end.    

Thank you for your time and consideration.  As always, I am extremely grateful to the School District for the space that they have allowed Kamloops Kidz to lease for so many years and am hopeful that they will continue to allow us to service the schools that we have serviced for so many years.     

I am writing this letter IN SUPPORT of Ralph Bell re-opening and the proposed catchment changes.  I know this is a heated topic and understandably so; however with as much opposition there are to the proposed changes you need to be made aware of the parents who are in favor of the proposed changes. I know the idea of opening Ralph Bell as a 6/7 school is a proposal that’s gaining support among some parents. I would like to make sure you aware of parents like myself, who are in favor of catchment changes and opposition of a 6/7 school.

My family relocated to Juniper in spring of 2020. Prior to that we lived in a very crowded district and actually experienced this exact situation. In our case though the school board opted for a grade 6 school to alleviate some of the pressures at the elementary level. Grades 7-9 were middle school. The situation was almost a complete mirror of the current situation in Juniper. We lived on top a hill with one elementary school, new developments pushed the school way over capacity. A school at the bottom of the hill was opened as the 6^th grade center as a temporary fix until a second elementary could be built on the hill. My daughter went to the grade 6 school so I feel like I can give some insight and feedback on our experience in this situation.

Firstly with opening a 6/7 school at Ralph Bell busing needs to be considered. Busing Juniper West students down the hill may take 1 (possibly 2) buses to accomplish. Busing the 6/7s from all of Juniper will result in many more buses being required or, as what happened in my daughters case, the grade 6 children were put on a bus with middle school and high school kids from their stops. It was an awful experience for our family and children were exposed to much more than they should have been at such a young age. I don’t believe realistically SD73 has the availability to pick up grade 6/7 students from all over Juniper to bus them to Ralph Bell without co-mingling them with any Valleyview students and as a parent I am strongly against this.

Secondly our daughters access to extracurricular activities and sports were decreased with going to a 6^th grade school. I would fear the same issues for students if Ralph Bell was to open as a 6/7 school. Our daughter played basketball and volleyball at her 6^th grade school. For volleyball there were over 60 girls that signed up; for basketball there were over 40. Now our daughters 6^th grade school was located in an old middle school slated for tear down so while the gym size could accommodate the kids interested in playing, there wasn’t enough teachers/staff from the school willing to step up and coach the kids. The kids were divided into 3-4 groups and kids only went to 1 practice a week and 1 game every 3-4 weeks so that all kids were given at least a small opportunity to play. For kids that loved these sports it was heart breaking.

Lastly we are all aware of the daycare shortages in Kamloops and creating a 6/7 school could actually add to that situation. What is to happen with families such as mine where younger students aren’t quite old enough to walk home and stay on their own until parents get home but older siblings are able to walk them home and watch them until parents get home. Surely Ralph Bell would be dismissed at the same time as Juniper Ridge so parents that rely on older siblings for care will now be faced with finding care for younger siblings until the older sibling is bussed home from Ralph Bell. I have three younger children I would have to find care for if their older sibling were to move to a 6/7 school at Ralph Bell.

The boundary change will impact current students and their families but over the duration it will be a lot less impact on children and families as a whole. Creating a 6/7 school will uproot the current 6/7 students and impact them in the ways stated above but also 10 years down the road when a school is built in Juniper West there will be kids split apart from their peers at that time and Juniper West kids be sent to Juniper West Elementary and east kids sent to Juniper Ridge Elementary. I hear Juniper West parents stating Juniper parents whose kids won’t be impacted aren’t considering the impacts to Juniper West families. I am considering those impacts but I am also considering the current and future impact that starting out with a 6/7 school and down the road adding a second elementary will have on the students at that time. The proposed boundary change will have the least amount of impact long term.

I am urging you to move forward with the proposed catchment changes. Drawing out the situation and band aiding it with a 6/7 school is not in the best interest of Juniper families both current and future.

Email 1)

Question to the Board: has consideration been given to the importance of walkability to a neighborhood school? Juniper West students will lose the ability to walk to school which has significant physical and mental health impacts. We are unique in this way as the catchment change will not impact students from the other neighborhoods in the same way. We are disproportionately bearing the burden of this change across many fronts, including loss of the ability to walk, which is very significant for our family and many others.

Email 2)

I would like to respond to the SD comments in FAQ #18 re: expanding JRES.

SD comment: "Although Juniper Ridge Elementary could be expanded, it would be a difficult and costly expansion due to the site topography. To add space, an expansion would require excavating into the hill, which would result in the loss of outdoor field space."

Response: Please share projected costs and a site plan for public consideration. While potentially costly to expand, the neighborhood is continually growing. Projection numbers indicate JRES will be over capacity even if Juniper West students move to RB. This indicates an expansion to the school may be required in the long run anyways. Also, the field is large, I imagine there will be plenty of field left after an expansion.

"Based on Ministry Area Standards, an expanded school would not qualify for more space in all areas of the school such as the gym, so there would be less gym time for all students."

Response: I welcome the idea of my children having gym class outdoors. Why does it need to be inside? With more students comes more funding for teachers, correct? Hire another part-time resource teacher for Covid-friendly, outdoor gym class.

"SD comment: The School District believes that the best long-term solution for Juniper Ridge is a new school in Juniper West."

Response: The Juniper community agrees, but the neighborhood is growing and given projections numbers it doesn't look like this needs to be an either/or situation. Can you please help me understand this better?

SD comment: "It is unlikely that the Ministry of Education would support and approve an expansion of JRES when there is an empty school relatively close by."
Response: Maybe with adequate information and advocacy from the SD and the community they would better understand the nuances of this situation. Student well being should be a top priority for the SD and Min of Ed. Child mental health, safety and walkability to schools need to be considered.

Email 3) 

Have you considered how difficult this transition will be for children with special needs?

Letter 

To whom it may concern, 

After reviewing the information on the proposed division of the Juniper school catchment area, and trying to understand the cost/benefit analysis that presumably precluded it, we are vehemently opposed to the plan for the following reasons, in the order of what we consider to be relevant and important.  Naturally, other people may agree or disagree in varied measure to these and more, but from our discussions with other potentially affected neighbours in the area, these concerns (and frustrations) are widely and strongly held. 

• We moved to this neighbourhood for various reasons, but principally among them was the close proximity – walking distance proximity – to a highly-regarded Elementary School.  This was not, and is not, just about convenience but also about the self-contained safety inherent in the “island community” on the Ridge. 
• It feels unseemly to opine on child development to a body of school executives, most of whom are certain to be parents themselves, but the obvious detrimental effects of the forced division of the junior classes in particular at a key part of their social evolution is surely understood. 
• Of course overcrowding is a progressively urgent problem, but it is hard to see how, on-balance, splitting school regions within grades (on the basis of geography) makes more sense than splitting school regions between grades.  There is certain to be a fracturing effect.  Keeping grades together maintains other community relationships; it has a network effect. 
• Common concerns around Ralph Bell’s location – higher crime, transient accommodation, documented law-enforcement flashpoint – exist irrespective of how catchment is determined.  However, it stands to reason that older cohorts such as grades 5,6 & 7 are more aware of the need for increased vigilance in that location, which to us only adds support for a grade-based division of the catchment area. 
• There was undoubtedly a discussion around where the new catchment boundaries would be drawn, but it is at best unclear as to why developing and as-yet undeveloped sections of Juniper West will benefit over established – recently, but nonetheless established – neighbourhoods. 
• An injurious effect which will manifest long before Fall 2022 is the suppressed property values.  The buyer pool for properties west of Coldwater will shrink when people need to factor in the school logistics of a separated community.  No-one is entitled to a property value but such a dramatic shuffling of the status quo is punitive. 

We assume – hopefully correctly – that the School District will treat the collective concerns with the gravitas they deserve; it would be a shame if public consultation were simply a box to tick prior to declaring a foregone conclusion.  We trust that the breadth and depth of the opposition to the proposed plan will not be ignored and that there exists sufficient empathy and initiative to arrive at an alternative solution to the problem that faces both parents and the School District, as partners in the community. 

Email #2) Please see attached letter.

1. Can someone please clarify where Galore Drive is located? There are only Galore Pl and Galore Cres located in Juniper. (See 4 above)

2. Has the district considered options such as middle school or Grades 5-7 attending RBES to keep cohorts/ friends together?

3. Has the district worked in conjunction with daycare providers to understand the impacts of displacing the 3 daycares out of RB? Will there be options for before and after school care?

4. Will current students attending JRES be moved to RBES or is this only applicable to new registrations in these catchment areas? (See 9 above)

5. How is the district going to address overcrowding issues at RBES? Will we be looking at another catchment change in 5 years? According to SD73, the school will reopen overcapacity?

6. What is the district doing to support child mental health? Many students and their families have been significantly impacted by the pandemic and will be further challenged by this change in school.

7. Has the district considered the impacts of cutting off a small section of a tight-knit community? JRES is a vital part of this community and the togetherness that many residents feel living in this community. Shifting only part of Juniper West to RBES will have a significant impact on Juniper as a whole community. Letter regarding Proposed Catchment Change

Steph

Our kids have meaningful relationships with their teachers. Will there be an option to have our Juniper teachers go directly to RB or will the decision be seniority based? I hope that if there is staff (here and at MS) agreeable to moving that they would get right of refusal before opening it up to other teachers. The less disruption the better! 

P. Guilherme

I'm happy to hear the school will be re-opened & functioning again.  Vital to the Community & to ease the overcrowding at Juniper & other schools. Developing & Publicizing a future plan for areas that are allowed to continue monumental growth with all Safety access & future Community needs(Juniper, Sun Rivers, Bachelor) in the plan are ESSENTIAL plus publicizing the real numbers & facts so people can see & be part of the logical solutions. (See 10 above)

Concerns: high traffic area for criminal activity and drug use. Extremely concerned, with especially young children, encountering drugs within the school fields/playgrounds. Concern for lack of supervision in an area situated in the heart of criminal activity.(See 8 above)

Suggestion: make Ralph Bell a MIDDLE SCHOOL for age appropriate children who can understand the concepts of don’t talk to strangers, be careful where you step because there may be needles, etc.

I strongly put forth the statement that Ralph Bell is NOT an appropriate location for young children (ages 4,5,6), more so at the amount of children expected to attend RBES upon reopening.

The current daycares who operate there have small fenced in areas for outside play and therefore have less risk for above notes concerns. This suggestion also resolves the issue of extracting children from JELS who have formed significant, important and ever lasting relationships with fellow students and teachers.

If you choose to make Ralph Bell a middle school you will not be breaking up friendships and student-teacher relationship and be saving heart breaks in a time where COVID has already taken so much away from us, especially friendships. Please make the right decision.

I am requesting that the school board refrain from making a decision on the Juniper Ridge/Marion Schilling catchment boundary change until such time that sd73 is prepared to properly review all available options based on research that should have been conducted before preparing this proposal for the Board’s approval and considering all relevant factors beyond just student numbers. These considerations should include environmental impacts, impacts to children’s physical health by no longer being able to walk to school, mental health impacts on students shortly following a worldwide pandemic, community impacts and the safety of the children, given the reality of the ongoing crime occurring in the vicinity of Ralph Bell school. I recognize that student enrollment numbers, school capacity, and finances are necessary considerations in catchment changes, but these must be weighed against other relevant factors and the reality is that there are other options available that need to be adequately considered.

I am requesting that the following options be appropriately reviewed and considered:

1. At minimum, no decision should be made until out-of-catchment numbers have been reviewed and appropriately addressed. There is no reason why out-of-catchment students should remain at Juniper Ridge Elementary while students who live in this neighbourhood are bused down the hill.
2. Grandfather in the students who currently attend Juniper Ridge and move the boundary line to Cold Water Drive. This would maintain established peer relationships and would be more equitable than removing current students, while admitting students who are new to the neighborhood, including the new developments above Cold Water Drive – with 100 new lots that the city just approved – and the new developments off Galore Crescent. If needed, Marion Schilling could be used for these new developments for the next few years as it continues to operate at much lower % of capacity than JRES.

Second Email

3. Make Ralph Bell a grade 6/7 middle school
a. Permitted class size for grades 6/7 are larger than younger students which means less classrooms would be required for the same number of students.
b. This would maintain peer relationships and keep our youngest students in our neighborhood and in walking distance to school.
c. Helps prepare Grade 6/7 students for the transfer to the high school in grade 8.
d. Grade 6 and 7 students are more equipped to deal with safety issues surrounding Ralph Bell school that are well documented in the Kamloops media.

As a parent of a child who would attend the 6/7 school in 2023, I am much more comfortable sending my 11 year old on a bus to Ralph Bell. I do not feel comfortable having to send my youngest child who would be entering kindergarten in 2022, when there are legitimate safety concerns surrounding the Ralph Bell school property. Elementary students are NOT able to be supervised to the extent that the daycares currently operating in Ralph Bell are able to provide to address the safety concerns.

4. Advocate to the Ministry of Education to sell the property that Ralph Bell school sits on since this is no longer a suitable location for a school. Use those funds for expansions at Juniper Elementary and Marion Shilling, which both sit on a considerable amount of land, or build the new school in Juniper West.

Hanging onto and utilizing a school in a part of Valleyview that is not growing does not make sense. Majority of children proposed to attend would have to be bused in. Even children in Valleyview who live walking distance to the school are not included in the catchment as the line has been drawn at a street directly beside the school. SD73 should be working with the Province to sell this valuable asset and use the proceeds for areas that actually need it. Lack of intergovernmental coordination with city/ministry is the reason for this mess.

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed Juniper Ridge and Marion Schilling catchment change and to offer an alternative solution that may not have been considered as of yet.  I have sent this idea to the members of the board for their consideration, and would love for you to read and consider it as well.

I spoke at the public consultation meeting on June 4th and provided reasons why we thought making Ralph Bell a grade 6/7 school would be a better solution, however in reading the responses provided to questions around this idea it is disheartening to see that it appears to be off the table as an option.  What is even more disheartening - actually it is frankly infuriating - is that all of the new developments recently approved up Coldwater (over 100 lots, plus the current 58 lots in development right now) will get to be in the Juniper Ridge catchment.   So I hope you will instead consider the following solution which makes things fair for residents who already live in Juniper and have children currently attending or preparing to attend Juniper Ridge Elementary.  

My proposal for you to consider is that the new portion of Coldwater (which currently includes 58 lots under development plus 100 recently approved lots to begin development soon) plus the newly slated development west of Qu’appelle (near where the new Juniper West Elementary school will eventually be, which is currently at 45 approved lots and will likely grow), be the ones who will eventually go to Ralph Bell (with the students from Rose Hill, west Valleyview, and Sun Rivers).  I understand this makes it hard to plan for numbers, so what I suggest is that initially these newly built addresses all become part of the Marion Schilling catchment, as Marion Schilling is far below Juniper Ridge for capacity.  And in 2 or 3 years once all these houses are complete and there are enough numbers to sustain the re-opening of Ralph Ball, those same addresses become part of that catchment (temporarily of course until a new Juniper school is built.)  This delay in the opening of Ralph Bell could perhaps give more time to properly address the very real safety concerns of that location, including the chain link fence that is frequently getting holes cut in it, making it far too accessible to the three directly adjacent motels, parking lots, and the Trans Canada Highway corridor.  Things have changed significantly in that area since Ralph Bell operated as an elementary school.  The daycares have small, defined fenced-in play spaces and a high supervision ratio but the school grounds are not currently safe enough given the current crime activity levels and motel clientele.  Delaying the re-opening would also allow the daycares currently operating out of Ralph Bell some very valuable extra time to search for alternative space.   In terms of how bus service would work (as one public commenter said busses for 6/7s would be too spread out around Juniper), this solution would work easily with a Coldwater stop and a west Qu’appelle stop.  

This solution would almost achieve the same effect as grandfathering in children who already attend Juniper.  It is incredibly unfair for those of us who have lived in Juniper West for 5-10 years+ to be ousted from our local school only to see brand new housing remain in the catchment.  Considering the numbers of developments being approved (203 to date), I believe that this solution would achieve a similar reduction in numbers to Juniper Ridge Elementary when looking a few years down the road and all these houses are complete, as young families are making up the majority of these new developments, plus you would still be moving students from Rose Hill, west Valleyview, and Sun Rivers, as is in the current proposal. 

My child is 6 years old and loves walking home from school with me. Eventually she will probably want to ride her bike to and from school.  It is fairly flat from our home to the school - there is an elevation difference of only about 30 metres.  However, the upper Coldwater lots are  about 100 metres up in elevation and this will likely affect how many kids living there would actually choose to walk or bike home.  Considering we want to promote walkability as much as possible, this is another reason why this proposal makes more sense.  

The grade 6/7 option still makes more sense than the current proposal, but the responses given by the district have made it pretty clear that this won’t be considered. However, I did submit a question through that page which was not answered.  This was my question:

“You have provided projected enrollment numbers for the grade 6/7 option to compare with the K-7 option.  However, with classroom size limits being significantly different for intermediate grades (29 students vs 22 in primary grades as outlined in the SD73 long range facilities plan) a more accurate comparison is in how many classroom spaces are necessary.  Can you please provide this comparison for both options?”

If the grade 6/7 option is off the table, then I appreciate your consideration of this new solution I am proposing.  I realize that finding a fair solution that is also a workable solution is difficult, but this one feels about as fair as is possible - while still making sure that capacity pressure is reduced in the foreseeable future. It makes no sense to remove 129 students from Juniper Ridge only to have 158 building lots currently in development be included in that catchment.   

Thank you for your hard work and thoughtful consideration.

I would like to start this by saying, I fully support the decision to re-open Ralph Bell. However, I have some concerns that I do not think were addressed in the public consultation.

Fence line (back of Ralph Bell school, towards the frontage road)

The fence that lines the frontage road motels has 3 large holes cut. The transients that stay at these motels are using the holes to go back and forth between properties. The amount of garbage and drug paraphernalia along this fence line is disgusting. The backs of these motels are disgusting. Garbage, mattresses, junk is what you see when you look at the fence line.  If Ralph Bell is to re-open, the city and school district need to address these motels, that are not motels, but low-income housing.  They need to be moved out of the area. The amount of drug activity that occurs on the school grounds can’t continue if this will be a school as the amount of trash left behind is unacceptable. Who is going to clean this up daily and check the fence line?

The entire frontage road that backs onto Ralph Bell needs to be cleared up and maintained if Ralph Bell is to re-open as a school. Compare the area of Marion Schilling to Ralph Bell, and there is a huge difference. If the area around Ralph Bell is not cleaned up, this should not be a school as the area is not safe. This is not an inner-city school, this is a neighborhood that is being ruined by the low-income housing motels and the people who stay there.

If you look at the grounds of any other school in Kamloops, Ralph Bell is the worst and it is not the actually property, it is what surrounds the school.  This needs to be addressed by the city and the school district.

Traffic control

The crosswalks on Valleyview drive will need to be re done, highlighted and some lights added. A sidewalk should be added from the firehall down the side of the street to Knollwood, or an additional crosswalk needs to be added at the firehall/rose hill. If this school is being re-opened to become a neighborhood school, make it pedestrian friendly/safe for the families in this area.  Currently the crosswalks are not visible to many, we need a lighted crosswalk in this area.

Catchment

Many children who live on Glenwood towards Vicars should be included in the catchment as you are opening a school 1 block away from children on Glenwood. The families in Valleyview should be considered, not just the students bussed from Juniper.  If student can walk to Ralph Bell, why should they have to drive to Marion Schilling, the catchment in Valleyview needs to be re considered.

I moved to Juniper Ridge West 5 years ago knowing that the elementary school was excellent and my then 3 year old and newborn girls would receive excellent education in this outstanding neighborhood.

The reopening of Ralph Bell and proposed catchment changes have me concerned for multiple reasons:

1) how will this older school compare to the existing Juniper Ridge Elementary? What upgrades are available in the budget? Maintenance fees? I’m worried my kids are being “down-graded” with an unavailable budget to improve Ralph Bell. (See 7 above)

2) how/when will it officially be announced it will be a K-7 school? (See 5 above)

Is a middle school being considered? I would feel more comfortable with older kids taking a bus down that hill.

3) would it be possible to consider updating/expanding Juniper Ridge Elementary with the budget proposed to re-open Ralph Bell. This would allow Juniper East and Juniper west kids to remain together. I’m extremely concerned that by separating the West from the East you are creating a segregation in this community which is currently very connected. I worry about my kids handling this change and having to attend a school away from many of their friends. This devastating impact after just going through a pandemic is disheartening.

Email Number 2

1) there are no time booking available for this meeting and I would like to put in a formal request to be added. Maybe an additional meeting with parents would be necessary. This is a very complicated proposal.

2) have you considered how his would affect housing values in Juniper West? As I mentioned, a main reason for choosing this neighborhood was the elementary school it provided. I feel that many would consider the neighborhood surrounding Ralph Bell and the school itself undesirable as therefor decrease value and desirability of Juniper West homes.

3)  I feel that reopening of Ralph Bell is simply a “band-aid” and a short term “solution” (it really doesn’t solve anything). There will be far more increased costs needed that would be far better allocated to permanent solutions. For example, busses needed to ensure kids have a safe way to attend school, the loss of funds from the Daycare’s currently leasing space, and simply upgrading the school to meet “standards”. These funds would be far more useful to either:
A) expand Juniper Ridge Elementary or
B) Place priority on a new school in Juniper West that will:
*have less impact on the housing market, costs in terms of maintenance and upgrades needed for Ralph Bell
*allow daycares to still serve their communities. I have been notified by the daycares that serve children in need of before/after school care in Juniper may not have the ability to deliver children to 2 different schools so far apart from each other. In an already challenging time with Daycare, this is a HUGE concern.

Jessy S.

Many points have been raised by members of this community in regards to the catchment boundaries being proposed for September 2022. Our family moved to Kamloops in 2017 and we picked the community of Juniper for many reasons, one being the fantastic reputation of its school and teachers. Since that time, we have seen the growth in the neighborhood and understand the constraints on the current school. However, the proposal being put forward for the 2022 school year seems harsh and punitive to those families and children that have chosen Juniper as their home. Some of the concerns I have are:
1.      Moving/Closing three preschool facilities when working parents are already struggling to find child-care and after school care for their children.
2.      Will there be future plans to open a school in Juniper West? If so, then what would happen to Ralph Bell? If the population would not support this elementary school and it would be closed, then are we just spending public funds for a temporary/band aide solution?
3.      Staff and culture of Ralph Bell. What would be the plan for staffing at the school? Would teachers from Marion Schilling and Juniper be moved or would new teachers be hired? Have teachers and principals been given the opportunity to voice their opinions and offer up alternative solutions? It will take some time for the new group of staff and principal to develop the culture for this newly re-opened school and the fear would be that students suffer during that transitional period.
As you can see there are more questions than answers and rather than having one sweeping solution, alternatives should be explored and debated in order to find resolutions that take into account the best interest of our children and have the least impact on the communities that these schools serve. It is also very surprising that this is only coming forward now for community consultation as the time horizon is quite short for funding and planning.

I am writing with respect to the proposed school catchment area change for the students of Juniper Ridge Elementary and Marion Schilling Elementary, and the reopening of Ralph Bell Elementary. (Link to Letter)

Part 2...

A member of the school board has been quoted as saying "If we do open it, all we’re doing is sharing the pain.” I'm having trouble understanding why a decision that will most certain cause pain and disruption to children's lives is being used as a band aid solution. Perhaps we should be giving kids as much stability and community as possible until a proper solution can be implemented, especially on the heels on a pandemic.
Is it possible to consider expanding or upgraping Juniper Ridge Elementary with the budget allocated to the reopening of Ralph Bell? Could priority be placed on building a school in Juniper West? Another solution would be to reopen Ralph Bell as a middle school and avoid splitting up existing friendships.
I think we can all agree that while something needs to be done with respect to the over capacity of Juniper Ridge, however, changing the catchment area of Juniper Ridge and sending a small portion of the community down the hill to a reopened Ralph Bell is not in our children's best interest.

Part 3...

When my family and I moved to Kamloops almost 2 years ago, we specifically picked Juniper Ridge for the school that we wanted our girls to attend. It was hard enough having to start over at a new school for my oldest daughter (who was entering Grade 1 at the time), then throw in a pandemic and the isolation that came along with that, needless to say it has not been the easiest transition. I can’t imagine having to start over again at a new school after finally starting to settle in at Juniper Ridge Elementary.
I am not naive in the fact that something needs to be done, however, I don't believe splitting up a community and friendships that have been made (and maintained during a pandemic) is the right answer. In the short time that we have been in Juniper RIdge, it has become quite clear that this is a neighbourhood that prides itself on community. The proposed catchment area change would be essentially segregating a small portion of the community.
I have read over the projected enrollment numbers published by SD73 for the three schools involved in this catchment change, and should this change proceed as proposed, Ralph Bell would be the school most over capacity after this change. This would mean the children involved have to leave their schools and neighbourhoods and relocate to a school that would be the most over capacity of the three schools involved. This does not seem like a fair solution. Additionally, the area where Ralph Bell is located is frequently in the news for crime, drug use, and issues with homelessness, a less than ideal location that I for one am not comfortable sending my young children to. To put it bluntly, if I wanted my children to attend school in Valleyview, I would have bought a home in Valleyview.

JF

1)What upgrades are available in the budget? would the upgrades include resources and special education materials for students with special needs, including a sensory room comparable to Juniper Ridge Elementary? (see 7 above)

2)What can you say to reassure families who have children with special needs that attend Juniper Ridge Elementary that will have to transition so unexpectedly to a new school?
these families have worked closely with staff and an Inclusive Education team to create programs and make connections that are imperative to their social, emotional, and academic growth. Have you considered how difficult this transition will be for families who have children with special needs or diverse learning needs?

3)It is apparent that the school is not in a safe and very busy location. Will there be additional supervision during drop-off/pick-up, recess and lunch hours to keep our children safe? I know many families who are concerned about sending their kindergarten students down the hill on a bus, knowing that more supervision would be in place may ease some anxiety. What can you say to families with children who have special needs or delays who are not mature enough to take the bus? many families will now have to travel further to drop their children off at school.(see 8 above)

4)Would it be possible to consider expanding Juniper Ridge Elementary? I'm extremely concerned that separating Juniper West from the East you are creating a separation in the community which is very concerning! I worry about how this will affect our children socially, emotionally, and academically.

5)Will current students attending Juniper Ridge Elementary be moved to Ralph Bell or is it only applicable to new registration in the catchment areas? Most families chose JRES because of the school. (see 12 above)

Jody H.

I have multiple concerns with my catchment changing to Ralph Bell.
1. This elementary school is located right next door to motels being used to house people who suffer from severe and persistent mental illnesses and people who are homeless and use injectable drugs. Needles have been found in the grounds area at Ralph bell during the time it’s been a daycare. Hepatitis C can live on surfaces for upwards of 7 days. Meaning, the live virus survives on needles and can be transmitted to any child who unknowingly and innocently picks up the needle. I’ve never in my life come across a district or municipality who would be comfortable with an elementary school in this type of location. At this point, we would be better off with any of the schools on the north shore because at least the grounds wouldn’t be riddled with infectious viruses. Not to mention the fact that the exposure to the needles is just one potential consequence of this location, there could be many more. I foresee this location exposing the children to aspects of an incredibly mentally ill lifestyle, to comments, to even potential abductions. It would be highly unusual for any city to house criminals in a halfway house adjacent to an elementary school. Are we as a community invested in protecting the lives of our little ones? Or, is Kamloops saying to parents: you’re on your own to protect your child.

2. The state of the building. Apparently the building is riddled with asbestos. We moved to juniper to live in new construction and protect our children from the harmful aspects of older building materials. What has been done to ensure the building is safe? (see 
3. A school has been in the community plan. WhTs the delay? Certainly the need is imminent. If a house can be built in 6 months, a school can be built in a year.

Overall, I’m very disappointed that this would even be contemplated as an option.

Corinn B

Although our youngest child will be gone from Juniper next year, I acknowledge that a change is desperately needed.  JRES is busting at the seams.   I think the JRES/MS elementary split is a very good plan and no matter what the change, some people will be upset. 

I was discussing the change with my kids.  My kids thought that a JRES (K-3) and MS (4-7) split would make a lot of sense.  It would keep the cohorts together and the concerns over small kids/motels by MS would be addressed by having the older kids there.  Both schools would be fit for elementary school kids (unlike the make MS a middle school which would require massive structural changes).  My daughters also thought that it would benefit the sports teams. 

Wondering if this split was considered between the two elementary schools?

Carol A

I strongly oppose the current plan to send kids from Juniper West down to Ralph Bell. Has anyone considered the option of making the newly opened Ralph Bell a French Immersion school? With the growing population of Kamloops, there needs to be more French Immersion options offered. When we moved to Kamloops 2 years ago, we considered sending our kids to South Sahali to attend the French Immersion program, but ultimately decided against it because of the distance from our home in Juniper Ridge (>15km) and lack of door to door school bus service. If there had been an option of a French Immersion school in Valleyview with school bus service from Juniper, we would have absolutely chosen this option for our kids. I think a lot of other families would also have opted in to a French Immersion school that is more accessible to kids in Juniper Ridge.  By making Ralph Bell French Immersion, parents would volunteer to send their kids there, which would alleviate some of the overcapacity of Juniper Ridge Elementary. I am shocked that in a city of this size, there isn’t even an option of late French Immersion anywhere in the city. Maybe Ralph Bell could be the first school to offer this.

Mark F.

I would like to start by agreeing with your decision to change the Juniper Ridge elementary catchment area. My wife and I moved as close to the school as possible so our 3 year old could go there when he is ready, the school is the primary reason we moved to Juniper Ridge. The suggestion of Ralph Bell be a middle school primarily voiced by residents of Juniper West are only thinking of themselves and not the school as a whole, moving schools is traumatic so having children do it one extra time is unnecessary. I feel any decision you make should only affect new enrolment and not have children that are already there having to move schools.
As all your signs state around the school it is a ‘no idle zone’ so surely the people who have the ability to walk there should be given priority over anyone that drives from the farthest distance away in Juniper. They have to drive anyway so why not drive down the hill, it’s probably on their way to work anyway.

CS

I disagree with the idea of Ralph Bell opening up as a K-7 school and bussing Juniper West kids, who are leaving their friends and close community feel. My biggest concern is bussing my Kindergarten child down to an area that already has so many concerns. We will also have to pay for before and after school care if we are sending our child down the hill. This is more money coming out of our pocket that we wouldn't have to do going to JRES. If my child was older (Grade 6 or 7), I wouldn't mind sending her down, as she will be transitioning to the high school down there in the near future. This is why I think Ralph Bell would be better off as a Grade 6/7 (or even 5-7), intermediate school. She is old enough to understand safety and making proper choices.

I am leaving this message as short and sweet-- I do not want to see Ralph Bell as a K-7 school. Please consider a Grade 5-7 school, or reconsider not taking the Juniper West children away from their own community.

Karen H.

I understand that the current proposal calls for catchment changes to have K-7 schools at both Juniper and Ralph locations. My question is, many people are requesting a 6-7 or 5-7 school at Ralph Bell and younger students all remaining at Juniper. Would this be a consideration and if so, would individuals being given time to voice opposition or support before a decision was made?

Brian G

One of the frequently asked questions is about school being kept clean from needles and transient people. The reply is “each school has an approved supervision plan prior to the start of the day…”, what is this, school staff members and/or increase police presence? How can this team really look thru the entire site to ensure its clean/safe? Is there going to be a check before school breaks? Are we going to rely on a teacher asking people to leave the area?
Project enrolment chart shows the school will be over capacity on day 1. With SD73/governments lack of foresight to be able to plan and execute new schools, what is the 5-10 year plan to correct the overcrowding of these schools? For Day 1, will there be portables, or will classrooms be over filled? What is the planned number of students per classroom?
Valleyview road traffic has increased a lot since Ralph Bell (RB) was last open and will continue to increase each year. With just the daycare you can already see there is a problem with the current design. What is the plan for safe pickup/dropoff not just for the kids but for traffic?
Alot of money has been donated by the community of JR for the current school. This money was used to purchase item for this school with the donors knowing that their child will be using these items. Those children are now being sent to a different school, how should this be addressed. If a teach has those items in their classroom and choose to relocate to RB, will those items be allowed to go with them?
Are teachers in JR being given the option to change schools without any penalties if they are to switch? Are the JR teachers given the first opportunity to go to RB? (see 13 above)
The forecasted money for renovation to RB, what are the planned renovations? (see 7 above)
The meeting on May 5th, what is the SD73 talking points going to be? Would like to understand these items before the meeting, as this may bring up more questions or comments.

Laura P.

After reviewing the information on the proposed division of the Juniper school catchment area, and trying to understand the cost/benefit analysis that presumably precluded it, we are vehemently opposed to the plan for many reasons that we cannot put into 2000 Characters. Naturally, other people may agree or disagree in varied measure to these and more, but from our discussions with other potentially affected neighbours in the area, these concerns (and frustrations) are widely and strongly held. We assume – hopefully correctly – that the School District will treat the collective concerns with the gravitas they deserve; it would be a shame if public consultation were simply a box to tick prior to declaring a foregone conclusion.  We trust that the breadth and depth of the opposition to the proposed plan will not be ignored and that there exists sufficient empathy and initiative to arrive at an alternative solution to the problem that faces both parents and the School District, as partners in the community.

CS

We moved to Juniper for the tight-knit community that it offers and the thought of our children being removed from JRES is very upsetting. Our oldest child struggles daily with anxiety and I know that detaching him from his current school and friends would be extremely detrimental. Our youngest is starting kindergarten at JRES this September and I can only hope that she isn’t forced to move schools after building a sense of community and creating strong bonds with her peers & teachers. Considering the negative impact that Covid 19 has already had on mental health & well-being, I urge you not to pull existing students from their community schools. The students deserve a sense of security and after this past year it would be greatly unfair to uproot them.        

Kristyne d.

Please see attached letter outlining my concerns regarding the Juniper Ridge/Marion Schilling Catchment Boundary Change. (PDF of Letter)

Toni T.

As residents of the Juniper West community and family that currently attends Juniper Ridge Elementary School, I am writing today to voice our concerns of the proposed catchment changes.
We, like most families in this community, chose to be in a neighborhood to provide our children with the opportunity to build lifelong, community-based friendships and to attend their neighborhood school through their elementary years.
While I do agree that our schools are overwhelmed and bursting at the seams, I do not agree with the changes as they are currently proposed. What we need is a solution to ensure the longevity of the growth of the region and to support our children and their learning environments equally and fairly.
•       What kind of sense of community are we instilling in our children by separating them by geographical region?
•       Will the supplies and equipment for the school and classrooms provided be the recycled, overused remnants from the school district community or new? (see 7 above)
•       Are other alternatives being considered: Ralph Bell being reopened as a middle school in alignment with the North Shore communities?
•       How is this short-term solution going to positively impact long term change in our growing communities? Upon reviewing the Long-Range Facility Plan, new schools are years away from being built.
•       What learning assistance support will be provided? My son has attended the reading support group for the last 2 years. Already facing learning challenges, he will now be moved to a new location, with new teachers and their different teaching styles and will now add a new worry of building trust & new relationships if this support is even available.

I implore all those within the School Board/District No 73 with voting rights to please listen to the voices and suggestions from the communities that this change is directly impacting.

I asked both our sons who attend JRES what they think of these proposed changes, here are their responses:
Question:  What do you think of the s

Tiffany C.

- Galore Drive is not an existing street in Kamloops. (correction, see 4 above)

- This is not an adequate response: "What measures will be taken to ensure the school is kept clean and needle-free, and the children safe?
Each school has an approved supervision plan prior to the start of school to ensure adequate supervision is provided during the school day.  Adjustments are made throughout the year to ensure the supervision plan is meeting the needs of the school."

You are going to have to do a lot better than "approved supervision plan" when you are talking about kindergarteners  being a stones throw away from known meth labs, needles and loaded guns (just to name a few).

- Why is the school district being so dismissive about turning Ralph Bell into a middle school?

- According to you own numbers, this is not a solution, it is a TEMPORARY fix that doesn't address the fact that the infrastructure is not sufficient for the current population in the neighbourhood.

- Why is the City of Kamloops still issuing building permits and allowing future development when the current infrastructure is INSUFFICIENT?

- Have you considered the mental health of the children being affected by this?

- What is being done about the children who do not reside in this community, but attend Juniper Ridge Elementary School?

To say that I am disappointed with the school districts plan would be an understatement. I have lived in my home for 11 years, paying property taxes for 11 years and members of an amazing community for 11 years and we are being told that our child is no longer able to be a member of this community's neighbourhood school.

I understand that this public consultation period is a requirement, but I NEED you to truly hear us and listen to our concerns. Please do not dismiss our pleas, we don't want our young children bused out of our neighbourhood to go to school.

Laurie T.

Although I am pleased another school will be put in to utilization to aid with the rising communal population of West Juniper. I would like to be put on record that I am concerned with current students attending Marion Schilling.  More to the point I am concerned about those students, upon the proposed opening date of Sept 2022, who will be entering their final year at Marion Schilling. My youngest has attended the school since kindergarten and I feel moving her and her fellow students at this stage would be, for lack of a better word, pointless as they would be entering grade eight in the 2023/2024 school year. I am imploring you to let these students, at the very least finish out their attendance at Marion Schilling since they have been already registered.

I appreciate your time and understanding of my concern and hope this issue is taken into consideration when reconfiguring the catchment areas in question.

Raj and Preet D.

As a tax payer and resident of Juniper Ridge, I am writing to express my deep concerns and opposition to the proposed changes in catchment area for Juniper Ridge Elementary School.

This letter outlines my firm opposition and concerns, which are shared by many in the Juniper Ridge community.

Amy B. 

Good evening Minister Whiteside,

I hope this email finds you safe and healthy amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

I am writing to express my disappointment to learn about the proposed catchment boundary changes for Juniper Ridge Elementary and Marion Schilling Elementary Schools in Kamloops, British Columbia. The attached letter outlines my firm opposition to these proposed changes that impact the close-knit Juniper Ridge community.

Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter. (Letter attached)

1) I do not support the catchment changes as proposed.  Please view my attached letter outlining my concerns with the proposed  changes, as well as my recommendations for a viable alternate temporary solution to alleviate the rising enrollment pressures. (Letter attached)

2) Dear Mrs. Kershaw,