Foothills School Division students face the pressure of final exams this week, but that’s nothing as compared to what their elected representatives will face.
Trustees host a boundary review consultation meeting on Jan. 24 at Dr. Morris Gibson in order to fill the new K to Grade 8 Meadow Ridge School scheduled to open in September.
Although there was celebration when the previous board was awarded the new school, the entirely new board is the one who has to figure out the new boundaries. It’s part of the hard work that goes with the celebration of a new school.
Parents rightfully are concerned about the potential trauma of their children being uprooted to a new school. They have the right — and parental obligation — to fight for what they feel is best for their child.
However, trustees and administration have to look at the entire pie which is Okotoks and the surrounding area to fill the school.
Trustees need to consider such complicated issues as busing. It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money to have buses cross town willy-nilly.
Their biggest obligation is trustees and administration has to listen and residents have to feel they have been heard.
There’s no reason to think trustees won’t listen.
They have done so in the past. When Westmount School was crowded in 2015, the board rejected options after listening to the public. While the decision of sending Kindergarten students to Big Rock was not presented to the public, it was made after listening to the public.
The reality is, trustees can’t please everybody — students will have to be moved.
Their decisions will impact all public schools in Okotoks.
The community is in this thing together.
Just like a student studying for exams, if trustees listen, examine, and take the advice of experts, that is ultimately what parents are asking.
