Does the Nanaimo school district need help?

Spend more time on student achievement, less on politics, special advisor tells board-Lake Cowichan Gazette article
Cowichan school trustees should spend less time politicizing and more time focusing on student achievement, says a provincially appointed special adviser.

Student success was the primary recommendation contained in an exhaustive 42-page report filed with the education ministry by Dr. Lee Southern last week.

Parents fight school closures

Cowichan parents fight school closures
Jeff Bell, Victoria Times Colonist
Monday, May 19, 2008
Parents from the Cowichan Valley intent on keeping their children’s schools from closing and maintaining childcare spaces are scheduled to be back at the legislature Tuesday to state their case.

Parents ask politicians to help save school lands One Island district votes today to prevent sale to developers
Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Parents who oppose the closure and sale of public schools are appealing to municipal politicians to help them in their fight. They are asking governments to use zoning bylaws to ensure school lands that have been declared surplus by boards of education due to declining enrolments remain available for public use and aren't sold to developers.

Cowichan board cancels school closure meeting

Times Colonist April 8th article stated:
...the meeting, scheduled for tomorrow, was called off at the request of the special adviser appointed by the B.C. government to assist the Cowichan board...The Cowichan Valley board voted 5-3 last month to request Education Minister Shirley Bond take the unusual step of appointing a special adviser. Bond appointed Lee Southern on Saturday.
...
It would be more responsible for these trustees to submit a "needs" budget and deliver a message to Bond that education isn't sustainable on this government's funding formula, Routley said.

But Simmons said the board made a "proactive move."

"The [role] of the special adviser is to provide advice. By having a special adviser, the board is not abrogating any of it decision-making responsibilities,'' Simmons said. "We are not giving up any of the local autonomy. Elected officials will be making the decisions, not the special adviser."

Simmons said the board is asking the special adviser for input on school closures and the projected $2-million shortfall it anticipates in 2008-09 as well as other areas.
Bond said it isn't common for her to appoint such an adviser.

"It is done in somewhat unique circumstances," she said.

Terrace Standard April 23rd article stated:
...Commenting on the scenario last week, Bond said it will still be up to the Cowichan board to make the budget decisions.

“The board is ultimately responsible. Even in the (Cowichan) case, the board will ultimately be required to make the decisions,” Bond said. “But in the meantime, because of the concerns that have been expressed, we do have a superintendent of achievement working very closely and directly with the school district.”

Austin then asked the minister if the step of assigning a special advisor to a district would only be done in such a circumstance as a board’s request.

“If enough parents were to become active on a file like this and request it with, say, support from some school board trustees but not a formal declaration from the entire board. Is that something the minister would consider?” said Austin, who continued to stress in the legislature Victoria needs to adjust how it divies up education money for rural areas.