Preliminary discussions are underway to explore the possibility of closing schools in the Howe Sound district during the 2010 Olympics, but no decisions have yet been made.
School board officials this week assured parents, teachers and other community members that they will have the chance to provide their opinions on the potential shutdown before any decisions are made.
And while officials admit there's an opportunity for the school board to make money by renting out school facilities for Olympic use, they say that's not the motivation for considering the closure.
Long-time District 48 school board trustee Andrée Janyk said she brought the motion forward, suggesting that the school board consult its education partners about the possibility of school closures during the 2010 Olympics.
"(It's) a unique opportunity for our children to be involved in an event that happens in very few communities in the world," Janyk said of closing schools during the Olympics. "I would like our students to be up close and participate in any way, shape or form."
Children could participate by attending events, meeting athletes, performing in arts and culture demonstrations and helping with other hosting duties, she said.
"There's no question - young people add a dimension to a world-class event like this that is beyond words," she said.
A broad-based focus group meeting is planned on Nov. 7 that will include representatives from the district parent advisory council (DPAC), the principal and vice principals association, the teachers' federation, CUPE, the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC) and other community groups, Janyk said.
The meeting is designed as a think-tank to start exploring the opportunities and potential challenges of such a school closure, she said.
Superintendent of schools, Dr. Rick Erickson, said options being discussed are a two-week closure during the Games and a three-week closure that would begin a week before the Olympics to allow for school facilities to be used by visiting Olympic participants that arrive before the Games begin.
He said that while some families may decide to leave the area during the Olympics and others may want to stay and volunteer, the closure could pose a challenge for some local families.
"The longer the closure is, the bigger the challenge for families," Erickson said.
If the closure were to happen, the board would look at providing recreation and other activities for students to participate in if they're not involved in the Olympics, he said.
However, with Olympic activity taking over much of the Sea to Sky corridor and the possibility of restricted transportation and buses being used for the Games, alternative activities for students could be limited, he said. "It's a pretty complicated issue."
As for making up the lost time, Erickson said minutes could be added to each day or adjustments could be made to other holiday periods or school days to make up the time. "Everything's open for discussion," he said.
So far, most parents are supportive of the idea, Janyk said. "I've been hearing acceptance. Parents recognize that transportation will be an issue; they want their kids to participate; they want to participate," she said.
Though the district has talked with VANOC about the opportunity of renting out school facilities during the Games, Erickson said no commitments have been made.
Janyk said there is a possibility of generating revenue from renting facilities, but the primary motivation for closing schools would be to involve students in the Olympics.
"That's our main concern - the students in our district," she said.
VANOC officials acknowledge that any decision on closures is up to the board and the Ministry of Education, said Renee Smith-Valade, vice president of communications for VANOC.
"Our goal is to ensure that every child has the opportunity to touch and feel the 2010 Winter Games," she said.
Only post-secondary institutions were closed during the Calgary Olympics, and schools were only closed for students over age 15 in this year in Torino, Italy.
