Lead testing
Since lead was found in drinking water in several Lower Mainland schools late last year, School District No. 46 (SD46) has been flushing out water pipes daily and working to install lead filters on school drinking fountains to ensure the water’s safe for students.
“Our systems were tested and they were all at acceptable levels; however, it was also seen as a best practice, for the time being, to flush the system until further notice,” acting school board chair Lori Pratt said at the April 12 school board meeting.
Lead can leak into sitting water from old pipes and fittings that contain the substance, which is why a daily flushing of pipes has been implemented at all Sunshine Coast schools.
In addition, the school district has been busy installing new lead filters on drinking fountains, secretary treasurer Nicholas Weswick told the board at the meeting.
“Once we’ve installed all of those fountains we’ll be talking with the health authority to determine whether daily flushing is still required, but for the time being we are still flushing on a daily basis and thanks to our administrative staff, principals and vice principals primarily, for helping us with that,” Weswick said.
The Ministry of Education now asks for annual reports on water quality from all school districts in B.C.
“They’ve asked that on a three-year rotating cycle all schools get tested and we chose to test all of our sites,” Weswick said.
“So I’m just reporting to the board that’s happening and that’s a change in district process,” Weswick said, explaining why the issue had not been raised at board meetings in the past.
Langdale solar
A bid to do capital work at Langdale Elementary School came in lower than expected, so SD46 is rolling the extra funds into a solar panel system for the school.
“There will be a request for tender in the coming weeks, once we have completed the design phase,” Weswick told the board.
“It should contribute up to a third of the annual power required for the school.”
Trustees were pleased with the power-saving purchase and board chair Betty Baxter noted that students at Pender Harbour Secondary School would also be “incredibly interested” in solar power at that end of the Coast if money were to become available.
School enhancement
Weswick reported that the school district has been approved for two costly upgrades under the school enhancement program.
A total of $1.4 million will come from the Ministry of Education for heating, cooling and ventilation upgrades at both Pender Harbour Secondary and Davis Bay Elementary.
The work in Pender is expected to cost $625,000, while the estimated cost for upgrades at Davis Bay is $800,000.
“The expected outcome will include energy savings, building renewal and increased occupant comfort, so pretty exciting news in that regard,” Weswick said.
All-candidates meeting
The school district, in cooperation with Sunshine Coast Teachers’ Association and CUPE 801, will host an all-candidates meeting dedicated to education on May 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Elphinstone Secondary School library.
Trustees wanted to schedule the meeting to make sure education issues were discussed with candidates before ballots are cast.
“I think it’s awesome that we’re doing this and trying to get public education to the forefront of the coming election,” trustee Dave Mewhort said.
“I think we learned from the last election that if we don’t put this kind of effort in then it’s going to be sidelined because it’s a costly item and they’re not going to want to talk about it.”
