The Chilliwack School District is hoping to create a new learning space inside a Sardis office building, for kids who have fallen through the cracks.
The board of education is looking at a lease option for 103-45425 Luckakuck Way at a special meeting on June 26.
The hope is that students who have had barriers to attending school in person will be able to "re-engage with learning and community support services," according to a senior staff report in the meeting's agenda. These are students who are not coming to the district's mainstream schools and Kw'铆yeqel for a number of reasons, including requiring support through the Bridge program, being under probation or under RCMP no-contact orders, or otherwise disconnected from in-person learning environments.
One of the barriers for some of these potential in-class students is simply the lack of transportation, the report states. The office space being considered is in the midst of the commercial corridor, and close to public transportation options.
The 3,236 sq. ft. office is listed by Sarah Toop with Re/Max Nyda Realty Inc. and features several offices and meeting rooms with windows, a reception area, kitchen and storage. It was built in 1987 and has been on market for about 42 days.
The estimated lease cost is $7500 per month, with additional expenses allocated for utilities and custodial services. The staff report notes that the operating cost of bringing this vision to life would be about $90,000 annually, a figure that could be reduced through "subleasing partnerships."
The June 26 will only be a first reading, according to the report.
It is being considered "In response to a growing number of youths who are unable to attend school at existing district sites," the report stated. "The vision for this space is to provide a safe, neutral, and accessible site, centrally located on a major city corridor and transit route, where students can re-engage with learning and community support services. These community supports can continue to support the youth after their school journey is complete. It fills a gap between the KSS campuses and existing mainstream options - serving a unique and highly vulnerable population that is often missed by existing programming. The storefront provides flexible, low-barrier daily access for students who face attendance, legal, or wellness-related barriers to attending a traditional school building."
Staffing would come from the existing Kw'铆yeqel staff list, the Bridge program team, and community support agencies including Pacific Community Resources Society, Chilliwack Community Services and Youth Probation.
The lease would be a three-year term, with ongoing evaluation of attendance and engagement by the students as well as transition outcomes. Long-term objectives include increasing the graduation rate of at-risk learners, particularly those students at risk of dropping out entirely.
The report notes that "a formal review of the storefront program will take place annually, with a comprehensive evaluation report submitted in spring 2028 to inform the board鈥檚 decision on whether to renew, revise, or conclude the lease agreement."
