I am writing this, as a concerned parent, in regards to the proposed reconfiguration of Mission Central and Christine Morrison.
My daughter attends one of the above mentioned schools. Before enrolling her, we made a checklist of all the things that we looked for in a school:
Is it within walking distance?
Does it have a population of students that we are comfortable with?
Does it offer both English and French programs so that our younger children can decide which path they’d like to take and be involved in a diverse student population?
Does it offer kindergarten readiness programs (StrongStart, ABC 123) that my younger children can participate in?
Is it a neighbourhood school that she can attend with children living close by us?
There are many other families who have based which school to enrol their child on points similar to these. Many families don’t have transportation and need to live close by to the school. They shouldn’t have to move because their program does.
Many families have children enrolled in both English and French programs, for a variety of reasons, and need to attend a school that offers both. They shouldn’t be forced to decide between taking a child out of a program, or having to travel to two different schools.
Many families feel that attending a neighbourhood school is vital to the interconnectedness of our community. They shouldn’t be forced to dismiss their values to accommodate an unnecessary change.
It doesn’t seem to me that changing the way the school is configured will be a positive for the children and families in these two schools, the downtown core, or families in the rest of the community.
Why do we need to fix something that isn’t broken? Leave our schools as they are!
Samantha Palmer
Mission