Consultation on Willoughby Slope catchment changes begins
February 25, 2016
For immediate release February 25, 2016
Consultation on Willoughby Slope catchment changes begins
Langley, BC – 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.
Contact: Ken Hoff, Communications Manager, School District No. 35: 604-534-7891