10 Ways to Stop School Closures

Schools like Boundary Beach Elementary were forced to close due to declining enrollment

Dear Editor,

Now that the by-election is over for Delta Municipal Council, I would like to shift our attention to the Delta School District.

Many school districts in the province, including Delta, are experiencing declining enrollment which is putting the squeeze on funding. Below are ten strategies to cope with declining enrollment without shutting down schools.

1. Cooperate with Surrey School District to fill empty seats in Delta.

2. Attract more international students with specialized English language and quality home stay programs.

3. Use school facilities for continuing education and advanced placement classes.

4. Rent out school facilities for community events and conferences.

5. Work with Kwantlen Polytechnic University and SFU Surrey to offer career planning and university preparation courses in Delta high schools.

6. Make use of school facilities during the evening hours for community support groups and life skills classes.

7. Make use of school playgrounds for community recreation, sporting teams, and special events.

8. Create incentives for students to complete Grade 12 by offering post-secondary credit for high school and trades courses. The high school students will essentially get part of their first year post-secondary education for free. This will facilitate admission to various post-secondary institutions.

9. Extend holidays for elementary school students instead of closing schools to balance the budget which is a short sighted approach to a change in demographics.

10. Turn some schools into unique learning centres such as fine arts and trades centres.


My goal is to increase the positive outcomes for the students of Delta and keep schools in the community. One way to do this is to involve more students in the decision making process and reach out to parents, teachers, and staff for new ideas and practical solutions to the issues facing the district.

Sincerely,


Alex Sangha, BSW, MSc
Registered Social Worker
Delta, BC