The Parent Advisory Committee in Port Clements presented some concerns it has about the school to the school board as it met there last week. PAC president Brigid Cumming told the board parents are very happy with staff and student achievement, but have concerns about enrollment and funding.
Ms Cumming suggested the board pay attention to the enrolment cycle, where it is predicted that enrolment provincially will increase to 2000 levels by the end of this decade, then start increasing again.
She also offered several ideas to increase enrolment sooner, including attracting students who are now being schooled outside the school district system. "We ask for the board's support in offering more flexible programming to parents and students, to ensure a maximum of students are kept within the district's enrolment". Ms Cumming also noted that Port's economy is likely to pick up soon, adding school-age children to the community, and said the PAC's priority for spending by the board is on students. She suggested several administrative officers could be cut to save money, and asked the board to get islanders from all communities writing to Victoria to request adequate funding for the schools. "Hand-written letters from individuals are the most effective means of applying political pressure, and it is politics that is the basis for our financial difficulties," she said.