We are reaching out to all parents, caregivers, families of students attending Walter Lee Elementary and the entire Lee community as we are seeking support to stop the closure of our school. The possibility of our school closing is real. We want to ensure this does not happen. On April 4, 2016, the School District put out a list of 16 schools which could potentially be closed in an effort to meet the Ministry of Education’s criteria to obtain funding for seismic upgrading. Out of the 16 schools, 3 to 5 schools will be closed. The final decision on which schools close will be made in October 2016. Potential school closures would come into effect before the start of the September 2017 school year. On April 25, 2016, our school’s Consultation Committee comprised of Ms. Pendharkar, Ms. Tse, Ms. Bazso (Teacher), Mr. Chubak (CUPE), Robi Chakrabarti (Parent) and Bob Mann (Parent) met with the School District. The meeting was to provide information about the process and allow us to state our case to ensure Walter Lee remains open. **NEW** Attached is a draft document which summarizes some of the feedback items discussed at that meeting (Lee_Consultation_Committee_Apr_25_2016.pdf).  The next phase of this process is the Long Range Facilities Plan Open Houses scheduled for: Tuesday, May 17th @ Steveston/London Secondary  - 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Wednesday, May 18th @ Palmer Secondary – 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Thursday, May 19th @ Boyd Secondary – 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm We are asking for everyone to attend at the Palmer Secondary Open House on May 18th to present a unified voice for our school. Of course, if this is not convenient for you, we would ask that you attend one of the other sessions. It is vital for us to be heard and seen in this process. Our next PAC meeting and AGM is on: Monday, May 16th @ Walter Lee Staff Room (starting at 7 pm) We will discussing the school closure process along with answering questions. This is our opportunity to be heard in this process. By October 2016, it will be too late. Having the school as part of our community is one of the strongest ties that all residents in the area have to each other. Education is a pillar of our society and is essential in our children’s development. We have been blessed to have Walter Lee provide this to us for over 55 years. Walter Lee Elementary is more than a building and the fantastic staff that work so hard to educate our children, it is the core of our community. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at bob_mann@shaw.ca and robi.chak@gmail.com. Thank you for your time in this matter. An e-copy of this notice is attached in pdf format. **NEW** For your information, an e-copy of the Long Range Facilities Plan - Report to the Board - April 7 2016 is also attached below.  For the most current information from the school district, please refer to the website, https://letstalksd38.ca/our-schools-our-students-our-future .