One of Greater Victoria's school board trustee's is asking for a specialized school to be removed from the current catchment review -- made necessary because of growing enrolment.
Victor School caters to 16 students with complex special needs, and parents say they weren't properly consulted, and their kids welfare is at stake as they don't do well with change.
The catchment review is looking at moving students to a new location, to be determined -- and changing Victor into an Elementary School.
Trustee Ryan Painter argues Victor is unique in the district, providing specialized and unique care for the most vulnerable of students, and it's his view it should be examined outside the regular review process:
" I really want them to see that the board is seized with Victor School and how important it is. But I think that the board, and again, speaking purely for myself, we need to kind of show some goodwill towards Victor parents. And I think that one way to do that would just be to removed Victor from the current review process, set it aside, and have a different conversation. Something more deliberative."
Painter will propose a motion at tonight's meeting aimed removing the School from the district's review:
" Well you know, it's going to be up to the board. So we have a vote tonight from the Operations Committee. If that vote goes through it will then come to the full board next week. I do have an opportunity if the vote is not approved tonight, I can bring it back to the full board next week. Which is what I will do if it is not approved tonight."
It's not known how much support Painter's motion has.
Decisions on catchment changes are set to be made by spring, with changes implemented in the fall of next year.