On February 28, 2017, the School Board held a special meeting to discuss the new budget, but also provided time to hear feedback on the dismantling of the MYP/IB program. The decision to hold this meeting was made at the last school board meeting held on February 13, 2017.
At this meeting at least 10 parents, students, and teachers took the stand to testify about the phasing out of IB.
There were many points made at the meeting in disagreement with the School Board’s decision.
Beatrice Thomas, a parent of a fifth grader at Walton Elementary, currently works in Chesterfield but chooses to live in Prince George for the educational system. The fading of the program has led to her second-guessing her decision and she believes Chesterfield may now have more to offer.
Parent Sheila Minor took a stance on the topic of the budget. She stated that the program might be expensive, but it is important. Also, the Board pays per school for IB, which means that the school will continue to pay for the next few years until it fully disbands – so I money in the 2017-2018 budget.
In several discussions, there was a debate of how or if they will continue to offer early advancement in math and foreign language. In most speakers’ circumstances, the MYP/IB program has had a personal affect in their lives.
Teacher and parent Holly Nase stated, “My son went on a full scholarship because of things he could write about.”
She also stated that IB taught her son leadership and gave her son opportunities that he could have not had without the program.
The final decision about the MYP/IB program’s fate will be stated at the March 13th regular school board meeting. Chairman Kevin Foster stated that they would listen to all concerns, take notes, and meet to discuss this topic with school directors and superintendents before making their final decision.