Check out the DPAC January newsletter for ways to get involved in the education system, as well as useful information and resources for parents.

OVERVIEW
As most parents are aware, Livingstone will be undergoing a seismic upgrade beginning in the Fall of 2021. As the planning has progressed, parent representatives have met periodically with Ms. Froese, VSB staff, project managers and stakeholders, including school and Sparetime Child Care Society staff. At this point, we have been assured that the project is on time and that temporary accommodation for students is still planned to be at the South Hill Swing site. For details on the timeline and plans see the VSB project site. 

ADDITIONAL UPGRADES NOT FULLY FUNDED
Parents made it clear during the project open house that completing additional upgrades during the seismic work was a priority. The VSB incorporated some of these suggestions into their draft design, including making the school more accessible, upgrading washrooms, and opening up the library space to bring in more natural light. However, despite advocacy by the PAC, at this point there is no certainty that the funding to make all of these happen will be approved by the Ministry of Education. The funding for some of the upgrades relies on Ministry approval of "School Enhancement Program (SEP)" grant proposals (outlined here in the VSB 2021/2022 Draft Capital plan).

Upgrades proposed but not yet funded include:

• An elevator to make the school more accessible (an elevator shaft is currently included in the upgrade work, but not the actual elevator car)
• Accessible washrooms in the school and building currently used by Sparetime
• Basic maintenance such as new handrails

ACTION NEEDED BY CONCERNED PARENTS
If you believe that these upgrades—and perhaps others—should be funded by the province for completion during the seismic upgrade, please take 10 minutes for a small act of advocacy. Personalized emails to key individuals make all the difference. We have provided the contact information for the VSB, the MLA who represents the area, and the Minister of Education below. We ask that any concerned parents please email the contact below as soon as possible with a request to - minimally - approve the "School Enhancement Program (SEP)" grants for Livingstone Elementary.

Contact info:

VSB Chair and Livingstone School Trustee Liaison - Carmen Cho
[email protected]

MLA for Vancouver-Kennsington - Mable Elmore
[email protected]

Minister of Education - Jennifer Whiteside
[email protected] and [email protected]

ANY QUESTIONS
​If you have questions or need more info, you can reach out to Ms. Froese or the PAC. 

More info on the transition to the swing site will be provided in the coming months.