School District 57 Prince George

Overview

Land developers organized and sponsored the first schools within Prince George.^[1] By 1914, one high and three elementary schools existed.^[2] Within the area of what would become SD 57, the establishment of separate school districts (usually comprising a single school), totalled 9 in 1911–1920, 17 in 1921–1930, and 11 in 1931–1940.^[3] During the Great Depression, centralization increased because local boards abrogated their responsibilities, forcing the installation of official trustees and creating larger administrative units.^[4]

Quick facts SD 57 & Fraser-Fort George ...

SD 57 & Fraser-Fort George
Prince George Mackenzie McBride Valemount Hixon Tête Jaune Cache Bear Lake McLeod Lake Willow River Larger communities
Location in British Columbia

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Attracting and retaining qualified rural teachers proved difficult. Factors included salaries,^[5] scathing inspectors,^[6] isolation, community factions,^[7] no running water, no electricity, inadequate heat,^[8] teaching multiple grades,^[9] and sometimes an expectation to organize the various children's social activities for the community at large.^[10] Rural schools were dependent upon a smaller and volatile local tax base for funding. When an economic downturn, fire, or depleted accessible timber, closed a sawmill (the primary employer in most rural communities), workers relocated, student numbers dropped, and the tax base collapsed.^[11]

Rural school buildings were usually rudimentary, and many in a poor state of repair. Equipment and supplies were limited.^[12] Consequently, rural students, receiving the barest elementary programs,^[13] lacked educational opportunities, and few progressed to a secondary school offered only by a main centre.^[14]

The 1946 implementation^[15] of the 1945 Cameron Report into BC school financing and administration^[16] created centralized larger districts. Benefits to rural schools were a broader tax base,^[17] to Prince George schools an augmentation of existing infrastructure,^[18] and to all schools an increase in provincial funding from 30 to 50 percent.^[19] The earlier municipal districts provided no guidance as to setting boundaries, because many were quite small, and 90 percent of the province was unorganized.^[20] The new Prince George school district boundaries were equidistant between Quesnel southward, Vanderhoof westward, and at Penny southeastward.^[21] On the disbanding of local boards, the former Prince George one, comprising members of civic and economic stature, became the interim board.^[15] The elected 1948 board comprised four city and three rural representatives,^[22] reaffirming some degree of local control.^[19]

The new board did not operate with complete autonomy, but had to avail itself of the experience, training, and knowledge of local inspectors of schools,^[23] who represented the province. The latter, who had been regarded as faultfinders by local trustees, became mentors aligned with the centralized trustees.^[24] The board became a buffer between local residents and the province,^[25] and the inspectors were freed from petty management issues.^[26]

Burgeoning student numbers throughout the 1950s saw massive increases in teacher recruitment and classroom capacity.^[27] Many new schools served residential development along the new highways north and west.^[28] However, by the mid-1950s, building remote rural schools rarely occurred because of maintenance challenges, and from the late 1950s, numerous schools closed as mills closed.^[29]

In 1970, SD 58 McBride merged into SD 57, and its board dissolved. The new enlarged school district matches the boundaries of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.^[30]

Board of trustees and superintendents

Schools

^A. Includes schools which had existed prior to 1945 within the initial boundaries of SD 57 Prince George, and excludes SD 58 McBride schools closed prior to 1970.
^B. Formerly SD 58 McBride.
^a. A.k.a Airport Hill.^[162]
^b. Integrated into the school district in Sep 1959 to be primary section of Winton School.^[74]
^c. Called Hart (Heart) Lake;^[163] in 1965 renamed Bear Lake.^[164]
^d. Called Blackburn Road initially.^[165]
^e. Called Van Bow initially; accommodated at Connaught elementary.^[166] renamed Carney Hill;^[167] Feb 1968 building opening;^[168] Aboriginal Choice assumed building.
^f. In 1910, one-room log building built; later frame building; in 1916 replaced by two-room building known as Millar Addition on Queensway Ave; in 1963 reconstructed; a.k.a. Fort George Central; in 1998, became a traditional choice school.^[169][170]
^g. Former John McInnis Jr. Secondary building.
^h. Accommodated at John McInnis prior to Feb 1978 building opening.^[171]
^j. Accommodated at Lakewood Jr. Sec. prior to Feb 1978 building opening.^[172]
^k. In 1998 became a choice school and renamed Dunster Fine Arts School.^[173] In 2010, Dunster Fine Arts School Society acquired property.^[74]
^l. Accommodated at College Heights elementary^[174] prior to Apr 1977 building opening.^[175]
^m. Known as Birchwood during early construction phase; relocatable building soon moved; in 1975 permanent building.^[176]
^n. Accommodated at Vanway elementary^[177] prior to Oct 1979 building opening.^[74]
^o. Accommodated at Austin Rd.^[178] prior to May 1977 building opening.^[179]
^p. Called South Central;^[180] in 1959, renamed Harwin.^[181]
^r. In 2010, middle school became elementary.^[70]
^s. Accommodated at Highglen elementary.^[166] prior to Jun 1977 building opening.^[74]
^t. In 1985, Montessori program established at Highglen elementary;^[182] after 2013 fire relocated to former Gladstone elementary building;^[183][184] in 2015 renamed Polaris Montessori.
^u. Called Canyon Creek; in 1958, renamed Hixon Superior; in 1965, became elementary.^[185]
^w. In 1957, opened as elementary;^[76] in 1961, became elementary/junior high;^[186] in 1967, became solely a junior high.^[103]
^x. Called Mile 4 at the Stevens and Rahn sawmill;^[187] in 1956, renamed when mill relocated about 30 miles to Kerry Lake.^[188]
^y. Called Prince George City elementary or Prince George public school, opened in three cottages on Vancouver St; in 1916, four-room building opened on Winnipeg St; in 1929 renamed King George V elementary.^[107][189]
^α. École Lac des Bois assumed former Lakewood Junior Secondary building.^[190]
^β. Accommodated at various schools.^[191] prior to Oct 1979 building opening.^[192]
^δ. Refer McBride Secondary; c. 1970, renamed McBride Centennial elementary.^[193]
^ε. Refer McBride Secondary.
^ζ. Accommodated at various schools.^[194] prior to Sep 1979 building opening.^[195]
^η. Completed spring 1973;^[196] relocatable building soon moved to be replaced by permanent building.^[197]
^θ. Former Carney Hill elementary building.^[198] Aboriginal Choice to 2012.^[199]
^λ. Accommodated at Westwood elementary.^[166] prior to Apr 1977 building opening.^[200][201]
^μ. Refer Prince George Secondary.
^ξ. From 1927 Millar Addition school used for overflow elementary students;^[74][202] in 1929 renamed Connaught;^[189] operated until about 1936.^[203] in 1946, reopened;^[204] in 1978, renamed Ron Brent elementary.^[205]
^π. Called McMillan Creek; immediately renamed Shady Valley.^[76][206]
^ρ. In 1910, a room rented; in 1913 new building opened.^{[98][169][207]}
^ς. Accommodated in portables at other schools^[208] prior to Jan 1994 building opening.^[209]
^σ. Accommodated at Quinson elementary.^[166] prior to May 1977 building opening.^[210]
^χ. School in adjacent Swift Creek 1916–35. Valemount opened in 1935.^[76][211]
^ψ. In 1956, elementary became a superior school offering to grade 10;^[212] in 1974 extended to grade 12.^[213]
^ω. In 1974, closed with integration of students into regular classes.^[74]

Enrolment