Looks like they were listening.
Kootenay Lake parents worked up a social media firestorm over the waitlist process at L.V. Rogers earlier this school year, and now, according to an SD8 press release, the district is aiming to “streamline and simplify student transfer and registration processes.”
That means that next school year students will be welcome to register in their catchment area school at any time. Before, there was a deadline, and if students missed it they would be waitlisted and miss the first week of school.
And Nelson parent Camara Cassin, who expressed her displeasure with the process via a vitriolic Facebook post earlier this year after her daughter was waitlisted at L.V. Rogers, is welcoming the news.
“This will reduce stress on local parents. I think that it’s great they’ve taken steps to amend this policy because it’s been a real mess for the last couple of years,” she said.
“One family last year had to send their son to the Lower Mainland because they didn’t know if they could get him into the high school. Hopefully this policy will avoid that ever happening again.”
She said, “It seems like they’ve learned.”
Cassin noted that her daughter didn’t have a full course load until three weeks into September, but now high school life is humming along like normal.
“It was messy but now she has everything she needs.”
According to the new policy, students who do not reside in the school’s catchment area must register before March 31, 2017. Transfer requests made following that date will not be considered until after Sept. 8.
“We encourage parents of students who will be attending Kindergarten in the 2017-2018 school year to register their children as early as possible,” the SD8 press release reads.
“We welcome students who wish to register at their neighbourhood school, but who currently attend an independent school or other non-SD8 Kootenay Lake program, and encourage them to register as soon as possible.”
Parents interested in the new process can read about it at sd8.bc.ca, under “News & Highlights” and “2017-2018 Student Registrations & Transfers”.
They can also contact their catchment school.
Cassin is pleased that her voice was heard.
“I’m glad I’m a person than can stand up and make my voice heard. If I had’ve been a passive person I wouldn’t have succeeded in getting my child what she needs.”