Parents pushing for Grades 7, 8 at Riverview School

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This article was published 12/10/2024 (468 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Riverview School Parent Council is advocating for the inclusion of Grades 7 and 8 at the east-end school, citing numerous benefits for students, parents and the community.

Chair Chereese Martin told the Sun the council had presented its request to the Brandon School Division board of trustees during a regular meeting in the spring, but they have yet to receive an official response.

“We had a meeting in May with the board and they said they needed to look at catchment zones and review everything,” Martin said in an interview on Thursday. “They told us they would get back to us in the fall, but we haven’t heard any decision on the request after multiple follow-up emails to the division.”

Riverview, located at 1105 Louise Ave. East, is one of the few elementary schools in Brandon without Grades 7 and 8, she said, and this forces students to move to King George School at 535 Park St. for their final two years before high school.

This transition, she said, is challenging for students, especially those who have been at Riverview since kindergarten.

“It was a rough transition for my son when he moved to a new school for Grades 7 and 8. It would make the shift to high school smoother if students could stay at Riverview through Grade 8,” she said. “Keeping students in one school for kindergarten through Grade 8 helps build a stronger sense of community, leadership and belonging.”

The council’s reasons for the request are not limited to emotional and social benefits.

King George School does not offer a lunch program, Martin said, making it difficult for students who live far from the school to manage during the winter months.

“We have practical reasons, too. Most kids live just a block or two away from Riverview, but King George is a much longer walk, especially in the cold. It’s hard for them to go home for lunch and come back,” she said.

The council has been pushing to meet with the division to further discuss the proposal, but efforts to schedule a meeting have so far been unsuccessful, she said, “The council is considering starting a petition to demonstrate the community’s support for the addition of Grades 7 and 8.”

Brandon School Division Supt. Mathew Gustafson told the Sun the board is aware of the proposal and working on the request.

“The board would review it. Making a catchment change, like adding Grades 7 and 8 to Riverview, affects more than just the current students,” he said in an interview on Friday. “We have to consider the broader community, including families at King George and potential future students. There is need for a formal consultation process.”

Gustafson said while the parent council has raised the issue with trustees, a more extensive consultation with the community has not yet begun.

“We’re in the early stages of this process. We’ll be gathering feedback this fall, and based on that consultation, the board will make a decision,” he said, adding that catchment changes in the past have typically required careful consideration and time before being implemented.

Regarding the timeline, Gustafson was hesitant to predict when a decision would be made, adding any results from the consultation would need to be deliberated before the board determines whether the changes will be included in the budget.

Trustee Calistus Ekenna (Ward 1) said the board received the parent council’s request but stressed that the board is still evaluating the proposal.

“We’ve received the request, and we are looking at it. However, we don’t have an official position yet,” Ekenna said. “Such decisions take time, especially when considering budget implications and the impact on both students and teachers. It will be up to the board as a whole to make that decision. We will look at the merits and make the best decision for the students and parents.”

As the parent council awaits further updates, Martin said it is hopeful that the board will prioritize the needs of the students.

“We have Grade 6 students who would benefit from this change. Even if it doesn’t happen this year, we hope that next year they will have Grade 7 at Riverview,” she said.

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