The EY report commissioned by Education Minister Peter Fassbender on the Vancouver School Board estimates 19 schools could be closed due to low enrolment.
Fassbender said so at a press conference Tuesday morning before the media, VSB staff and trustees had a chance to see EY’s 225-page report.
The formerly Vision Vancouver-dominated school board considered closing five school sites in 2010. Vision Vancouver trustee Mike Lombardi told the Courier earlier this year once parents learned in 2010 that the board would save less than $1 million by closing all five sites, they argued closing schools would be unacceptable.
Asked whether the ministry would force the VSB to close schools, Fassbender said he wouldn’t speculate, but he said the VSB should invest in student outcomes instead of extra seats.
Fassbender repeatedly referred to the existence of 10,000 empty seats in Vancouver. The Vancouver Sun reported last month there are 9,000 empty seats.
Fassbender said EY’s report says the VSB could find $72 million in annual savings and revenue. The report also said the VSB could find $750 million in one-time savings. The
VSB could see savings and revenue in not completing seismic upgrades and deferred maintenance for closed schools and the sale of property.
Fassbender announced March 12 the ministry would appoint a special adviser to consider the VSB’s budget development and forecasting, accumulated surpluses and deficits, management of assets including all buildings, leases and real estate, opportunities for administrative savings and board governance. He noted the VSB held an accumulated surplus of $28.4 million as of June 30, 2014, the equivalent to six per cent of total district expenditures.
Former Vision Vancouver school board chairperson Patti Bacchus argues this claim is misleading because most of the money was allocated, just not spent, on that date.
But Fassbender maintained Tuesday morning this accumulated surplus exists.
Lombardi’s motion to extend a moratorium on school closures until December 2018 failed to pass at a school board meeting in January. NPA trustees and the Green Party of Vancouver’s trustee Janet Fraser opposed the motion.
Fassbender said the government has extended the date for the VSB to respond to the report to June 30.
The VSB previously scheduled a special meeting Wednesday evening to discuss the report with stakeholders. The meeting is to start at 5 p.m. at 1580 West Broadway.
Band stand
It was music to thousands of ears at John Oliver secondary June 4, when Dave Genn and Neil Osborne of Vancouver’s 54-40 performed and JO music students received $10,000 worth of musical instruments.
MusiCounts presented a $10,000 grant under its Band Aid Program along with its partner, radio station LG 104.3.
JO was one of three Lower Mainland recipients of the grant Thursday that’s meant to sustain the growth of music programs in public schools. Sir Winston Churchill secondary received $10,000 and Prince Charles elementary in Surrey received $5,000.
MusiCounts, a music education charity associated with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, aims to ensure that children in Canada, regardless of socio-economic circumstances or cultural background, have access to a music program through their school.
LG 104.3 has contributed $875,000 to MusiCounts’ Band Aid Program since the station’s launch in 2009.
crossi@vancourier.com
@Cheryl_Rossi
