Community Residents Propose Tuition-Free School Centered on Values

A group of concerned Vernon, B.C., residents is working on launching an alternative school that will emphasize academics and character development.

“It grew out of a frustration that you can’t even have a conversation within the schools; within the PAC [parent advisory council] meetings, within the school district,” said Clayton Ellams, one of the project’s directors who taught high school for a decade.

Named Vernon Oak Learning, this non-profit society is spearheading the establishment of an elementary school in B.C.’s Okanagan region.

The other directors include Lee Warzechna, a retired paramedic advocating for better quality education, Sibille Beyer, a parent involved in children and youth organizations, Amber Stamm’ler, a mom and local fruit grower, and Tal Salisbury, a small business owner and grandfather.

The group has hired an education consultant to assist them in the application process to become an official independent school approved by the government.

All organizers aim to provide a more enriching educational experience for children in the community. Their idea for a school took root when they faced opposition after raising concerns with the local school board.

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“We just had some very basic questions about the structure, and anti-bullying [programs] and SOGI, and they refused to take any questions,” Mr. Ellams expressed during an interview with The Epoch Times.

“Children will learn the basics before relying on technology, from multiplication tables to cursive writing,” the website states.

The curriculum will not be religious-based but rather teach students about various religions and the existence of a “greater power.”

“This school will not appeal to everyone. However, it will provide all parents with an additional choice of education for their child,” the website mentions. “Our school will satisfy the requirements set out by the Ministry, however, we will only be accountable to the parents and the children who attend our school and share our values.”

Opting Out of SOGI

The directors want to change how anti-bullying instruction is taught to children, and SOGI 123 will not be used in the school.

There is “too much emphasis on that topic,” Ms. Stamm’ler said, adding every child is welcome and no one will be discriminated against.

“In our anti-bullying policy, we will teach children to accept everyone exactly the way that they are, but not by pointing out the differences, but ignoring the differences and focusing on how we are the same.”

Those in the school community will need to commit to the vision of the board, and parents will have to read and sign school policies signifying their agreement, she said.

That’s something that has been more of a struggle than anticipated, Ms. Stamm’ler said in the interview.

“We are getting people that are excited. They even want to enrol their kids in the school. But then there’s no donations coming in,” she said. “I don’t think it’s because people don’t want it. It’s something else, and maybe people just don’t have the funds. Maybe people are really struggling more than we thought.”

The board plans to apply as a Group 2 independent school, which in B.C. entitles it to receive 35 percent of the funding that public schools receive per student. After the first year, the hope is to become a Group 1 school, with 50 percent funding.

The board has been looking at a few schools in Alberta as well as the Michaela Community School in England as examples of what they would like to build.

“We want this to be successful so that we can mentor other people to take the exact same steps as we are and to have this school open up everywhere,” Ms. Stamm’ler said.

But the board may have to reconsider its plans if the school can’t get any funding by the end of summer, she added, saying “we cannot start a school without funds.”