Thank you for your continued involvement in the consultation process around catchments and school communities on the Willoughby Slope, your feedback and participation has been invaluable. The purpose of this letter is to provide communities with a progress update on the current catchment consultation process.

At this time, feedback received from the community consultations is being analyzed and staff is beginning to map out the possibilities for the Board of Education when the motion to adjust catchments will be brought forward at the Board’s Regular Meeting in June. To date there has been very little feedback on the actual proposed catchments; more feedback has been provided on the process and impact on families and communities. Two communities in particular have provided more feedback than others: Richard Bulpitt Elementary (RBES) and RC Garnett Elementary.

It has become evident that grandfathering current RBES students and allowing students and siblings to remain at Richard Bulpitt Elementary is of the utmost importance to that community. With the approved addition of four portables at Bulpitt for 2016 it may be possible to allow the grandfathering of current students and their siblings. The option that includes portables and increasing the size of Richard Bulpitt in the short term, means that it would not be necessary to open the James Anderson Learning Centre space, again alleviating a source of concern for parents and guardians. Guidelines and criteria are being considered for how grandfathering students would be implemented and these options and details will be presented to the Board of Education in June.

An initial first step, in an effort to have current students remain at RBES, is to have new Kindergarten students (for September 2016) attend the proposed new school catchments for the upcoming school year. Ms. Lenko, Principal at RBES, will begin contacting these families this week to encourage them to attend school in the proposed new catchments. Taking this step will provide additional space at Richard Bulpitt so that other families may be able to remain at the school.

Another theme that has come to the forefront in the course of the consultation process is the use of classroom space for Neighbourhood Learning Centres (NLC), including childcare. Neighbourhood Learning Spaces are accessed by many families and address a need within the community, however classroom space is at a premium and may be needed. Different families have different needs and addressing the needs of all is a complicated task. It is likely that for at least the next two years it may be possible to leave NLC spaces operational at schools and not impact childcare spaces.

Again, thank you for participating in the consultation process and the ongoing support of your children as they attend Langley Schools.

Sincerely,
Gord Stewart, A/Superintendent of Schools

After the February 23, 2016 Regular Meeting of the Board of Education, the District engaged the community in a consultation process regarding proposed catchment changes for elementary in schools on the Willoughby Slope. The District planned six community meetings on:

• Thursday, April 7th intended for the RC Garnett and Langley Meadows communities at RC Garnett Elementary (7096 201st Street) with the first meeting at 1:00pm and the second at 6:30pm.
• Monday, April 11th intended for the Richard Bulpitt and Lynn Fripps communities at Richard Bulpitt Elementary (20965 77A Avenue) with the first meeting at 1:00pm and the second at 6:30pm.
• Wednesday, April 13th intended for the Willoughby, Yorkson Creek and RE Mountain communities at Willoughby Elementary (20766 80th Avenue) with the first meeting at 1:00pm and the second at 6:30pm.

Willoughby Slope Spring Consultation – Elementary Catchments Powerpoint Presentation

To the Parent/Guardians of the RE Mountain Family of Schools

Dear Parent/Guardians:

After the February 23, 2016 Regular Meeting of the Board of Education, the District is looking to engage the community in a consultation process regarding proposed catchment changes for elementary in schools on the Willoughby Slope. The District is planning six community meetings on:

• Thursday, April 7th intended for the RC Garnett and Langley Meadows communities at RC Garnett Elementary (7096 201st Street) with the first meeting at 1:00pm and the second at 6:30pm.
• Monday, April 11th intended for the Richard Bulpitt and Lynn Fripps communities at Richard Bulpitt Elementary (20965 77A Avenue) with the first meeting at 1:00pm and the second at 6:30pm.
• Wednesday, April 13th intended for the Willoughby, Yorkson Creek and RE Mountain communities at Willoughby Elementary (20766 80th Avenue) with the first meeting at 1:00pm and the second at 6:30pm.

Families are welcome to attend any of the meetings.

As indicated in my letter of April 10, 2015, the school communities will remain with current boundaries and configurations for September 2016.

At the June 21, 2016 Regular Meeting of the Board of Education, based on the feedback received, staff will bring forward to the Board of Education recommendations on reconfigured elementary school catchments on the Willoughby Slope.

The District will post information on the District’s website as updates become available. Under the “News & Events” tab, please click on “Consultations”. Feedback can be provided to the District: feedback@sd35.bc.ca.

The District is very aware of the concerns that parents have with respect to the fluctuating catchments of elementary schools on the Willoughby Slope. There continues to be a commitment, on the part of the District, to continue to work with the community in an open, honest and transparent manner in order to seek the best possible solutions for children.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Hoffman, Superintendent of Schools

Consultation on Willoughby Slope catchment changes begins

At the June 16, 2015 meeting of the Board of Education, the Board requested that District staff begin the process of re-drawing school catchment boundaries on the Willoughby Slope effective for the 2017-2018 school year. Since that time District staff has explored draft options to address school populations of the Willoughby Slope elementary schools. The Board also requested that staff work with the community, schools and the Township of Langley to maintain the current configuration of schools (K-5, 6-8, 9-12) in drafting catchment options. Proposed plans for looking at catchment changes have maintained the current configurations as requested. Proposed plans were brought forward to the Board for their information at the February 23, 2016 meeting in order to begin a public consultation process with the Willoughby Slope community.

A District sub-committee made up of the Superintendent of Schools, the Director of Facilities, the Vice-Principal of Special Projects and the Assistant Secretary Treasurer met with a small group from the Willoughby community made up of PAC members and school administrators in October 2015. The purpose of the meeting was to find out what was most important to the community in regard to potential catchment changes and the following list of priorities was provided to the committee:

• Minimize disruptions to students.
• Grandfather students in their own schools.
• Provide stability.
• Use natural boundaries as much as possible.
• Enable children to stay within the Willoughby community.
• Maintain Neighbourhood Learning Centre supports.

Based on the feedback received from the community and with the help of the Manager of Planning and Financial Control, staff identified study areas of potential changes, gathered enrolment projections for existing catchments and the identified study areas and developed five potential catchment options. In December the committee visited Willoughby Slope development sites and identified safe walk routes. Information was shared with the District Leadership Team, the Township of Langley and partner groups throughout the process. Draft catchments were then developed.

On February 15, 2016 a small group from the Willoughby Slope community made up of PAC members and school administrators met with District staff to provide feedback on the consultation process going forward. Based on the feedback gathered, District staff will hold information meetings for parents and staff at Willoughby Slope elementary schools to outline the process taken so far, the options that were reviewed by staff and the proposed catchment changes. Community members will be able to provide feedback at these presentations and via a dedicated email address at feedback@sd35.bc.ca. Up-to-date information will also be available online at www.sd35.bc.ca/news-events/consultations.

Schools on the Willoughby Slope face considerable and increasing capacity challenges in the near future. The Langley School District will have to monitor and manage enrolment, capacities, facilities and catchments in order to respond to the rapid development in the Willoughby Slope. The District will continue to work with the Ministry of Education advocating for future schools but recognizes that the growth will continue while the process unfolds.

 At the June 16, 2015 meeting of the Board of Education, the Board requested that District staff begin the process of re-drawing school catchment boundaries on the Willoughby Slope effective for the 2017-2018 school year. Since that time District staff has explored draft options to address school populations of the Willoughby Slope elementary schools. The Board also requested that staff work with the community, schools and the Township of Langley to maintain the current configuration of schools (K-5, 6-8, 9-12) in drafting catchment options. Proposed plans for looking at catchment changes have maintained the current configurations as requested. Proposed plans were brought forward to the Board for their information at the February 23, 2016 meeting in order to begin a public consultation process with the Willoughby Slope community.

On February 15, 2016 a small group from the Willoughby Slope community made up of PAC members and school administrators met with District staff to provide feedback on the consultation process going forward. Based on the feedback gathered, District staff will hold information meetings for parents and staff at Willoughby Slope elementary schools to outline the process taken so far, the options that were reviewed by staff and the proposed catchment changes. Community members will be able to provide feedback at these presentations, via a dedicated email address at feedback@sd35.bc.ca

At the meeting of the Board of Education June 16, 2015, the Board approved a motion that District staff begin to work with the community, schools and the Township of Langley to maintain the current configurations of the schools on the Willoughby Slope (K-5, 6-8, 9-12). In addition, the Board requested that staff begin the process, as outlined in the  Willoughby Slope Spring Consultation 2015 report, of re-drawing school catchment boundaries on the Willoughby Slope for the 2017-2018 school year. Beginning the process at a small community meeting Tuesday, October 20, staff outlined the process and timeline that will be followed for the consultation process. Committee work will proceed November 2015 to January 2016 that includes drafting potential catchment boundaries and working with the Township of Langley. In February 2016 draft catchments will be presented to the Board of Education. In March and April of 2016 there will be continued community consultation on catchments with the Board approving catchments in May or June of 2016.