Vavenby Elementary School will not close.
Trustees of School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) made the decision last Monday evening during a school board meeting in Kamloops.
“It’s great,” said Carol Schaffer, a Vavenby resident who spearheaded a petition to keep the school open. “At least it’s open. When the economy turns around and people start moving in, we can get it back to Kindergarten to Grade 7. If it had closed, it likely would have closed for good.”
The trustees decided to limit Vavenby to just Kindergarten to Grade 3. There will be only one teacher and secretarial hours will be cut.
Of the other rural schools that were on the chopping block, Westwold will go to just Kindergarten to Grade 5.
Savona and Pinantan will have Kindergarten to Grade 7 but will do without a principal and a teacher-librarian, and will have reduced secretarial support.
