In 2010, Prince George was forced to approve budget cuts totalling $5.2 million, leaving a total operating budget of $126 million for 2010-11. Earlier in the spring, the Board decided to close 10 schools, nine of them in the coming year, which provided an additional $2 million in savings, to offset an overall $7.2 million funding shortfall. The district expected enrolment to drop by just 200 students in 2010.
Since 2002, the district had already closed 15 schools. In 2002 and 2003, the district closed seven schools a year. An additional school closed in 2006. The planned closures will bring to 25 the total number of schools closed in the district since 2001.
The closures and cuts have failed to resolve the districts ongoing budget woes, as costs continue to outstrip Province education funding.
In 2011, the Prince George Board faced a further challenge as they sought to reign in growing transportation costs. (One wonders how it wasn’t foreseen that mounting transportation costs would be the inevitable result of the school closure spree in recent years, and whether those added costs were factored into the presumed savings expected from the school closures.)
Carbon offset scam? In another development highlighting how ill-planned provincial policies can unfairly penalize northern and rural districts like PG, it was revealed that the district was being forced to pay $17/per student to purchase carbon offsets due to higher school heating costs. Those penalties, to the tune of some $250,000 a year for Prince George alone, are being paid from the cash-strapped Education budget to finance energy-efficient upgrades for private sector companies through the Pacific Carbon Trust. Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson brought the issue to public attention recently. Read more
2011 Updates
Prince George Free Press: Prince George school district looks at charging students to take the bus
Feb 10, 2011
Joe Fries – Prince George Free Press
The Prince George School District board of education will be meeting to discuss possible changes to its school transportation policy, and that may include charging students to ride the bus.
Trustee Roxanne Ricard, chairperson of the board’s education services committee, said the issue has been tossed from committee to committee without finding a resolution.
“Transportation is a big-ticket item here. We’re overspending by $500,000,” Ricard said.
The district spent $4.51 million on school bus transportation in 2009-10 and is budgeting for $4.65 million this year. The total amended budget for 2010-11 is $126.2 million.
Transportation is the largest expense not related to salaries or employee benefits. Read more
Contact Prince George MLAs
MLA Pat Bell, Prince George-Mackenzie (BC Liberal)
- Email: pat.bell.mla@leg.bc.ca
- Prince George Constituency office: 103 770 Central St, Prince George, V2M 3B7, telephone 250 612-4194
- Mackenzie Constituency office: 131C – 403 Mackenzie Boulevard, Mackenzie, PO BOc 2125, V0J2C0, telephone 250 997-5281
MLA Shirley Bond, Prince George – Valemount (BC Liberal)
- Email: shirley.bond.mla@leg.bc.ca
- Constituency office: 1350 5th Avenue, Prince George, V2L 3L4, telephone 250 612-4181
2010 Archives
September 30: A solution is announced to save Dunster school. While hailed locally as a win-win situation, the privatization solution raises wider concerns about limits being set on the fundamental principle of universal access to public education. And the district continues to struggle with deficits despite all the closures.
July 7: The Dunster sit-in is over, but discussions continue with SD 57, the Regional District and officials from Victoria, as parents seek a solution that will allow students to continue attending classes without being bussed to the town of McBride 35 kilometres away.
June 29: The Dunster sit-in continues – parents reported this afternoon that the RCMP and School Board officials had arrived on scene. Lots of coverage in the provincial and PG media. Meanwhile, students attended their last day of classes at another nine schools slated for closure across SD 57.
Dunster links:
- Facebook group: Keep Dunster Group Open!
- Website: Save the Dunster school
June 28: Frustrated parents, community members plan peaceful occupation to save Dunster Fine Arts School – the last remaining school in this rural community, and one of 10 slated for closure.
June 22: PG Board gave final approval to $5.2 million in cuts, leaving the district with a $126 million operating budget for 2010, despite having already saved $2 million from approving the closure on another nine schools.
May 2010: Despite having closed nine more schools, Prince George finds it has to cut 73 jobs to offset a $6.2 million funding shortfall.
March 2010: Prince George’s Board of Education has voted to close nine schools. It will also cut programs like special education by $2 million and increase class sizes to cope with a $5.2 million provincial funding shortfall. Even deeper cuts will be needed in future years, trustees warn.
February 2010: The Prince George School District is facing an unprecedented funding shortfall and is considering closing 14 schools in the community. The final decision about potential school closures will be made on March 30, 2010.
Facebook: Over 700 people have joined the Prince George “Save our Schools!” Facebook group.
Letters: Read the letter from Dunster Fine Arts School Parent Advisory Council.
BC Education Analysis: Check out this cool website created by Prince George parent Sarah Holland showing the schools around BC that have closed since 2002.
Map: 
Visit this Google map showing school closures planned in Prince George School District and the schools that closed in 2002, 2003, and 2006.
More Information: To find out more about the funding shortfall visit this webpage set up by education advocates in SD 57.
News
250 News: Grants will further study of future use of some rural schools
September 30, 2010
- $20,000 will go towards Carney Hill Elementary to establish a restorative practices circle room that incorporates aboriginal culture in the school and community.
- $10,000 will allow School District #57 to partner with Fraser-Fort George Regional District to conduct a Neighbourhood Learning Centre feasibility study for Giscome, Hixon and Nikko Lake. Read more
Vancouver Sun: Tiny BC commuity saves its local school – by buying it
Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun
September 30, 2010
Residents of a tiny community in northern B.C. have been fighting to save their school for months– writing e-mails, attending meetings, occupying the building after it was closed in June and even setting up a tent outside the school so their children’s education could continue close to home.
But this week, they settled on a better course of action. They’re buying Dunster Fine Arts School from the public school district.
Dunster is about 250 km east of Prince George.
The deal, worth $39,500, was announced Tuesday night by the Prince George board of education, which will carry the mortgage. Board chairman Lyn Hall said it’s a win-win situation — with parents retaining a much-loved school and the district, which is in a financial squeeze, reducing its costs. The community will be responsible for operations and maintenance. Read more
HQ Prince George.com: School district grapples with structural deficit
September 29, 2010
Prince George, B.C.-The most recent financial statements for School District 57 reflect a district grappling with a structural deficit.
The financial statements for the 2009-2010 operating year were presented at Tuesday night’s board meeting.
Secretary Treasurer Brian Mix says the important piece is $3.3 million dollars had been set aside to sustain the district based on projections that expenses would be greater than revenues.
Mix says through school closures and the reconfiguration of the district, the district has been able to save $6.2 million dollars, but revenues and student enrollment continue to drop.
As a result, Mix says the district will work on it’s structural deficit over the next two years. Read more
HQ Prince George.com: Solutions continue to be sought for rural schools
August 31, 2010
Prince George, B.C. – Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid says the Province isn’t necessarily looking at changing the funding model for rural schools, but is interested in looking at new ways of doing things.
MacDiarmid says raising taxes in some areas in order to compensate for higher costs associated with some rural schools is not a solution the Government is looking at.
She says they want to ensure education is equitable across all regions of the province.
A solution the government is interested in pursuing is establishing schools as Neighborhood Centres of Learning, where community services such as health care, day care services, or seniors programs could be offered outside of school hours. Read more
Opinion250: Regional District explores options for rural schools
July 16, 2010
Prince George, B.C.- The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and School District 57 have received $10,000 in grant funding from the School Community Connections Program to explore the feasibility of a Neighbourhood Centre of Learning model for Nukko Lake, Hixon and Giscome. Read more
Opinion250: Offer to purchase submitted for Dunster school
July 15, 2010
Prince George, B.C.- The future of the Dunster Fine Arts School now rests with the Ministry of Education.
An offer to purchase the building and one acre plus property has been sent to School District 57, which has in turn passed that offer over to the Ministry of Education.
The offer comes from the Dunster Fine Arts School Society which was officially incorporated on July 8, 2010. This society is comprised of community members and parents alike who want to ensure the continuity of education in the Dunster community for the coming 2010 school year. Read more
HQPrinceGeorge: Community of Dunster wants to own school
July 6, 2010
Prince George, B.C.- Dunster Elementary School Parents and concerned residents will be forming a Dunster Fine Arts School Society and they will work with the Regional District of Fraser Fort George to transfer the current school building from School District 57.
President of the Dunster Community Association, Pete Amyoony says they met with the RD Monday morning to discuss options, and believe the transfer process wont take long and students will be able to attend school in the building come September.
Superintendent , Brian Pepper says at this time, he has very limited information on how the Regional District plans to support the school and says he has no idea how long any of the processes needed to make the transfer will take. Read more
Opinion250News: Dunster families wait for answers
July 6, 2010
Prince George, B.C.- There are talks underway to spare the children of Dunster from having to be bussed to McBride this fall….
Yesterday Regional District of Fraser Fort George Director Ken Starchuck met with the parents as there had been some discussion of the Regional District taking possession of the building and look after maintenance of that building while the school district would provide the education portion.
In order for that to happen, the area residents would have to agree to an increase in their taxes to purchase the building. There is some question of there being enough support for that to happen.
There is still a possibility of a special society or group being formed to take possession of the building. Read more
July 2, 2010
Dunster, B.C. – School District 57 has been granted an injunction to force the people who have been occupying the Dunster School, off the premises.
The occupation started on Monday as the School was into its last day of classes, and possibly last day of ever being open.The Dunster School is one of the schools that will be closed by School District 57 . Whether or not the injunction will be obeyed is a different matter. Some parents have indicated they are willing to disobey the court order.
School District 57 has been working with the Regional District of Fraser Fort George on a possible solution to the Dunster situation. It is possible the people in that area would see their Regional District taxes increase in order to purchase the building from School District 57 and SD57 would then provide the programming. Read more
Globe and Mail: Parents, students fight to keep their school
July 1, 2010
Wendy Stueck, Globe and Mail
School’s out for the summer, but not everyone has left the building.
In Dunster, B.C., a small group of parents and students has camped out in the gymnasium of the Dunster Fine Arts School to register their objection to the planned closing of the school in September.
The protest highlights the challenges school boards face in closing schools – something many boards, including the embattled Vancouver School Board, are considering in the face of declining enrolment and tight budgets.
“I think it’s important to note that school closures don’t just impact the school community,” Prince George school board chairman Lyn Hall said this week.
“If you take a look at an urban setting like Prince George, once you start to close schools within a community you impact neighbourhoods. You impact what city councils are trying to do with their official community plans. It’s not isolated to a school community or a school neighbourhood.” Read more
Opinion250News: End of school year, end for some schools
June 29, 2010
Prince George, B.C.- Yesterday was the final day of classes for most students in Prince George. It was also the final day of classes for some schools which are to be closed.
Austin Road Elementary is one of those schools, after tomorrow the doors will be shut and there is no plan to ever have them reopen.
There were obvious mixed feelings at the school says Principal Luke St. Dennis “The students of course are happy to see the start of their summer holidays, but for staff, the feelings are very mixed. They are sad because this school is closing, but they are happy as they look towards their new opportunities.” Read more
CBC News: Parents occupy BC school to protest closure
June 29, 2010
Parents in the tiny eastern B.C. community of Dunster, south of McBride, have occupied the local elementary school to protest its closure.
Parents started their occupation of the nearly 100-year-old Dunster Fine Arts School on Monday, the last day of classes.
Trustees with the Prince George School District voted to close the school and five others earlier this year as they confronted a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall.
Parent Ken McNaughton said his daughter is the third generation of their family to attend the school. His father started elementary school there in 1928.
“It’s a total injustice to close this school that is our anchor,” he said.
Parent Christine Taylor said the closure must be reviewed. She would like to see a publicly funded school provided for the estimated 30 students before classes resume in September. Read more
Other June 29 coverage of the Dunster protest:
- The Province: Parents not willing to give up on Dunster school closure
- HQPrinceGeorge.com: Dunster residents protest closure of local elementary school
- Globe & Mail: Parents stage sit-in over BC school closure
- CKNW: Parents vow to save tiny school
- Global News: Footage of Dunster action
HGPrinceGeorge.com: School District 57 board to give final reading to budget bylaw tonight
June 22, 2010
Prince George, B.C. – The final board meeting for School District Fifty-Seven before the summer holidays takes place Tuesday evening in McBride.
The board will give final reading to the budget bylaw for the upcoming school year, which totals just over 126 million dollars.
Although the board will take a break from its regular meetings over the coming months, the summer is anticipated to be a busy one for the board, district staff and teachers adjusting to changes resulting from school closures and restructuring. Read more
250 News: Rural schools set up new group
June 2, 2010
Prince George, B.C.- The rural schools within School District 57 are joining together to try and bring about change that will save rural schools from future cuts.
In a brief presentation to the Board of Education, Denise MacDonald of Giscome said whenever there are funding concerns, the rural schools are the first on the block. That is why a group called CORES has been established. CORES stands for Coalition Of Rural Education Sustainability.
Speaking on behalf of CORES, Karen Welsh says the group is in its early stages but already has the support of the Regional District and the local MLAs. “The MLAs have told us there may be changes in funding, but that wouldn’t come for a long, long time.” Welsh says the new group will look at the challenges facing rural schools “The current school system seems to be more urban oriented.” Read more
Prince George Free Press: School Board okays budget – with closures
Arthus Williams
June 3, 2010
The School District 57 board of education gave tentative approval to the district’s 2010-11 budget on Tuesday.
The budget follows on extensive public consultation and debate on how to meet at $5.2 million budget shortfall for the coming school year. Based on recommendations from the district sustainability committee and public input, the board approved the closure of six elementary schools, Heather Park Middle School and two junior secondary schools. Central Fort George Traditional School is slated to close next year.
“Our school closures brought us $1.93 million,” district superintendent Brian Pepper said.
An addition $2 million was cut from school allocations — funding provided to schools to organize class sizes, provide optional programs, provide special education, etc. — and $2.273 million was cut from central administration and support services.
In 2009-10, the district had 13,479 students, 48 schools and 755 teachers. In 2010-11 the district is predicting 13,273 students, 41 schools and 733 teachers. Read more
HQPrinceGeorge.com: 2010-2011 budget to go before School District 57 trsutees
June 1, 2010
Prince George, B.C.-A 2010-2011 operating budget of around $126-million-dollars will be submitted to School District 57 Board Trustees tonight (Tuesday) for final approval.
The proposed budget is around $3-million-dollars less than the budget approved by the Board of Trustees for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
School Trustees had to make a number of hard decisions to arrive at a balanced budget, including the approval of seven school closures. Read more
250 News: Regional District searching for solutions for rural schools
May 20, 2010
Prince George, B.C. – There may not be enough time to save the Dunster School for this fall, but the Regional District of Fraser Fort George has approved submitting an application to the School Community Connections Grant Program for funding to pursue a neighbourhood learning centre model for Dunster. “I don’t believe we have the time to keep the school open for this fall, but we may be able to do something for next year” says Director Kevin Dunphy. Read more
Prince George Free Press: District to trim 80 jobs
May 20, 2010
Arthur Williams – Prince George Free Press
The Prince George School District will be cutting the equivalent of 80 full-time positions for the 2010-11 school year.
The cuts are part of the district’s plan to reduce its budget by $6.2 million this year. Declining enrolment and increasing costs forced the district to close nine schools for the 2010-11 year, with another set to close next year, and reorganize others.
Superintendent Brian Pepper, who headed the district’s sustainability committee, said the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
“It represents dedicated individuals who have contributed significantly to the children of the district,” Pepper said. “Three-hundred-and-seventy individuals, minimum, have been impacted. That means layoffs, retirements, reductions in hours, reductions in programs they deliver. Read more
250 News: School district preliminary budget cuts 73 jobs and $6.2 million
May 19, 2010
Prince George, B.C.- School District 57’s budget for the 2010-11 year has been developed and the preliminary budget will see 73 people lose their jobs in order to produce $6.2 million dollars in savings.
The preliminary budget has been developed to deal with the budget shortfall.
The job losses will come in the following areas: Read more
HQ Prince George.com: Number of teachers let go in PG still not known
April 30, 2010
Prince George, B.C.-The Prince George District Teacher’s Association is optimistic the number of teacher layoffs in school district 57 will be low, if any at all.
Teacher’s Association Vice President Matt Pearce says the exact number of layoffs is currently unknown, but they do know there are a number of teachers retiring. He says they expect to know quite a bit more in 2 weeks time when the staffing process is underway.
Pearce says the positions made vacant by retiring teachers, simply won’t be filled, helping off-set any required job cuts. Read more
Prince George Free Press: Nine schools to close this year
March 31, 2010
By Arthur Williams – Prince George Free Press
The Prince George School District will close six elementary schools, Heather Park Middle School and two junior secondary schools by Aug. 31.
The district board of trustees met on Tuesday to discuss the recommendations of the district sustainability committee on how to offset a $5.2 million budget shortfall for the 2010-11 school year.
Austin Road Elementary, Shady Valley Elementary, Salmon Valley Elementary, Springwood Elementary, Mackenzie Elementary and Dunster Fine Arts School will all close this year. In addition, Central Fort George Traditional School is slated to close in 2011 — allowing the school one year to consider options for relocating the traditional education program. Read article
250 News: SD57 budget boosted, but not enough to prevent closures
March 17, 2010
