On Monday, October 3, 2016 the Vancouver School Board trustees voted to suspend the school closure procedure and rescind the motions moving the 11 schools to consultation.
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This page is now for reference. The upcoming meeting dates are no longer relevant.

On June 20, 2016, the Vancouver School Board (VSB) released its preliminary list of 12 schools to be considered for possible closure as early as June 2017. Chronic underfunding from the provincial government has led the VSB to recommend the simultaneous closure of 12 Vancouver schools.  If all 12 schools close, 3,188 children will lose their neighbourhood school, thousands more will feel the impact in crowded facilities stripped of essential educational spaces, and vital community support networks will be dismantled. We believe this decision is not in the best interests of children, communities, or even taxpayers.  For parents whose children and neighbourhoods will be directly affected, this list is devastating and raises significant uncertainties for the coming school year and beyond.
 
We are sharing our research and findings related to the school closure situation to help inform and support the advocacy of parents and community members.
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• On July 2, 2016 we issued this statement "The Fallacy of Balanced Budgets - Parents Demand Stable, Sustainable, and Adequate Funding for Public Education" - in response to the Minister of Education on VSB's budget.
• On August 23, 2016, we issued this statement "Provincial Checkmate - Underfunding, Capacity Target & Seismic Restrictions Force Closure."
• On September 19, 2016 presented to the all-party Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for Budget 2017.
• On September 23, 2016 we wrote to the VSB  "PAN Has Lost Confidence in School-Closure Process, Urges VSB to Halt and Reassess."
• On September 29, 2016 we wrote to the VSB Requesting Clarification and Action on School Closures Public Consultation Process.
• ​On October 3, 2016 the VSB Board of Trustees voted to suspend the closure process.
• On October 4, 2016 the Minister of Education issued this response. We now wait to see what, if any, further action he will take. 

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Schools on the List for Possible Closure

Click on the school to go to its Administrative Report, released September 13, 2016.

1. Queen Elizabeth Annex. If approved, the Kindergarten to Grade 3 French Immersion spaces will be moved to Queen Elizabeth Elementary.
2. Champlain Heights Annex. If approved, Kindergarten to Grade 3 students can attend Champlain Heights Elementary.
3. Tecumseh Annex. If approved, Kindergarten to Grade 3 students will have spots at Tecumseh Elementary.
4. McBride Annex. If approved, Kindergarten to Grade 3 students can go McBride Elementary.
5. Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary. If approved, students can transfer to Begbie Elementary.
6. Admiral Seymour Elementary. If approved, students can go to Strathcona Elementary. This can only happen in school year 2018-2019 after seismic upgrades are done in Strathcona.

7. Graham D. Bruce Elementary. If approved, students can attend Grenfell Elementary and Collingwood Annex.
8. Sir Guy Carleton Elementary. If approved, students can be accommodated at Cunningham Elementary and MacCorkindale Elementary.
9. Queen Alexandra Elementary. If approved, students can attend Grandview Elementary and Florence Nightingale Elementary.
10. Pierre Elliot Trudeau Elementary. If approved, students can go to Walter Moberly Elementary.
11. Britannia Secondary. If approved, students will have spaces at Templeton Secondary. (removed from list at September 26 Board Meeting)
12. Gladstone Secondary. If approved, students will have spaces at Windermere Secondary, Vancouver Technical Secondary, John Oliver Secondary, and Tupper Secondary.

Source

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Important Dates

• ​October - November - Public Consultations for each school
• Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:00 pm - Techumseh Annex at Thompson SS
• Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 5:00 pm -  Trudeau at John Oliver SS
• Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 11:00 am - VSB Closure Townhall at Van Tech
• Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 5:00 pm - Queen Alexandra at Van Tech SS
• Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 5:00 pm - Seymour at Britannia SS
• Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 11:00 am - VSB Closure Townhall at Gladstone SS
• Monday, October 24, 2016 at 5:00 pm - Gladstone at Gladstone
• Tuesday, October 25, 2016 at 5:00 pm -  Carleton at Killarney SS
• Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 5:00 pm -  Bruce at Windermere SS
• Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 5:00 pm - AR Lord at Templeton SS
• Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 11:00 am - VSB Closure Townhall at John Oliver SS
• Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at 5:00 pm -   Champlain Heights Annex at Killarney SS
• Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 5:00 pm - McBride Annex at Tupper SS
• Thursday, November 3, 2016 at 5:00 pm - Queen Elizabeth Annex at Lord Byng SS
• December 8, 5pm - VSB Joint Committee II/III Meeting at Vancouver Tech SS - consultation reports to be recieved and discussed
• December 12, 7pm - VSB Board Meeting at John Oliver SS - Trustees will vote on which schools to close on June 30, 2017

Advocacy Sites

• Vancouver DPAC
• East Van Education Network (EVEN) (Facebook page)
• Save AR Lord (Facebook page)
• Petition to Save Britannia SS
• Save Sir Guy Carlton Elementary (Facebook page)
• Save Our Annex (Champlain Heights)
• Bruce Elementary Parent Action Group (Facebook page)
• Save Gladstone Secondary (Facebook page)
• Save McBride Annex

Web Sites of Interest

​Ministry of Education

• Provincial Seismic Mitigation Program - includes links to seismic risk by school block

Vancouver School Board

• Administrative Reports on Potential School Closures 
• Long Range Facilities Plan
• Vancouver Seismic Mitigation Program - includes links to current capital projects
• Schools at High Seismic Risk
• School Capacity Utilization (Sept 2015)
• Vulnerable Students & Enhanced Services Schools (April 2015) (pages 28-30)
• Class Size & Composition - 2015/16 (pages 3-49)

Maps

• CTV article with map comparing enrolment in 2007 and 2015.

​Research and Articles