Parents and administrators at Grief Point Elementary School are deciding what to do to commemorate the school when it closes its doors later this year, and so far they’ve decided to start by selling memorabilia.
“We’re getting close to moving and we’ve had quite a few enquires—not just from people who are here now but people who have gone here in the past—about if we have anything available to purchase for memories,” said school principal Jamie Burt.
Grief Point Parent Advisory Council (PAC) president Christine Mavin added, “For a lot of people who grew up in Powell River, Grief Point is their home elementary school.”
Current students at the 54-year-old school are being moved to the new Westview Elementary school being built adjacent to the Powell River campus of Vancouver Island University.
Grief Point PAC plans on selling Grief Point hoodies and T-shirts, water bottles, travel mugs and beer steins. The PAC and school administration are discussing other ideas as well when the school finally closes, but a firm decision has yet to be made.
“We might put together a small yearbook or something to remember the school,” said Mavin. “We were thinking we would auction off the sign or something to that effect. We’re not too sure because we haven’t discussed it a tremendous amount. There’s been a lot of ideas but nothing concrete.”
Regardless of the specifics of selling memorabilia, school administration is also planning a closing day farewell ceremony but, “it’s still pretty early in the planning stages,” said Burt.
Burt, who has been at Grief Point for the past three years, said the school’s PAC has been active for many years and has done a lot to help make the school and community better.
About five years ago, the PAC purchased playground equipment for the school and had it installed, but when the decision was made to close the school PAC wondered if it should have the equipment transferred to the new school, said Burt.
“Last year the decision was made to leave it here and purchase new equipment for the new school,” he said. “The reason being is that they know the impact that this park has on not just the kids but also the wider community.”
Both Burt and Mavin agree PACs offer parents a great way to be involved in their children’s education. One of the biggest ways they help is through fundraising efforts, said Burt, which “add to opportunities that kids might not otherwise get.” Sports uniforms, school crossing guards, hot lunch program and purchasing musical instruments are all areas PAC fundraising have helped to maintain.
Grief Point PAC helped the school host its book fair. “The funds from all the books that are being sold from Scholastic will go back into our library.” said Mavin. We do the set up and [staff] the book fair and then that money goes back into the library.”
Mavin invites all parents who have children in the public school system to join their PAC.
“PACs are very useful tools because our schools are so busy. They are expanding. Their roles are expanding and it’s hard for teachers to keep up. Parents who want to volunteer and come in can assist to make kids’ lives better.”
Order forms for memorabilia and more information can be found at the school office.
