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Pemberton may become next GEMS jewel

International education group researching feasibility of boarding school in valley

Pemberton may be home to a prestigious new school, hosting students from around the world.

At a press conference Saturday, Mayor Jordan Sturdy announced that GEMS Education, an international educational group, has been looking into opening a boarding school in Pemberton, and is now moving forward to assess the viability of their business model in the area.

“We’re very interested in the potential that the Pemberton area offers for an international school, so we’ve now engaged a company called PKS, which are an American research analysis organization, and they’ll be conducting a study throughout the Vancouver-Pemberton corridor to look at a feasibility market research analysis,” Ian Rysdale, Senior Education Advisor for GEMS Education, said in an interview Monday.

Several sites have been preliminarily identified as having potential for the school. There was no word on what GEMS was prepared to invest to build a school in the Pemberton area, but it would likely serve up to 400 Canadian and international students.

GEMS Education was established 49 years ago, and is based in Dubai. While many of their 55 schools are still in the United Arab Emirates, they also have locations in India and the UK, and have recently decided to expand to North America.

“…The strategic decision has been made to try to move globally to take the GEMS Education perspective across the world,” said Rysdale.

GEMS teaches students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 using a curriculum based on four central models: English, Indian, American, and International Baccalaureate programs.

“It provides education across a spectrum of economic needs — different pricing points for different communities and different curriculum for different communities,” explained Rysdale.

The Pemberton school would be the first Canadian GEMS school, and would focus on the IB curriculum. Rysdale describes the IB program as progressive and internationally minded, explaining that it “encourages the concepts of world citizenship, having a global perspective in education. It’s not so nationally focused.”

Sturdy points out that while the school isn’t a “done deal,” he is happy to see GEMS is moving ahead with an assessment.

“They’re spending money on it at this point, so there’s a certain degree of commitment there,” said the mayor.

Sturdy says this is a good business opportunity because it is clean, renewable, sustainable and knowledge-based.

He also pointed out that a boarding school could boost the local economy and the area’s reputation, and, more importantly, the influx of international staff and students would help the area grow.

“Those people coming in, adding diversity to our community and knowledge and experiences from all around the world, it can’t help but benefit us.”

Rysdale agrees that the school would be beneficial for Pemberton, describing the school as a “magnet” to attract people from abroad.

“I see it as an absolutely outstanding location for a wonderful school, and a wonderful opportunity for the local community, but as well, to attract people from outside who would otherwise perhaps not settle within the Pemberton area because of the lack of this kind of educational opportunity.”

Rysdale says Pemberton is an attractive location for a GEMS school, because it offers a beautiful environment, combined with natural advantages within the community and a close proximity to a city centre. Recent infrastructure upgrades, like the Sea to Sky Highway project, have made the area more attractive to GEMS, as well.

And while the upcoming Olympics are an added incentive, Rysdale says the Games aren’t a central reason for their interest in the valley.

“Schools are long-term ventures… we don’t view them as opportunistic. You’ve got to have the right factors in place in a community before you establish and consider investing the considerable funds that you need to do to establish a school.”

MLA Joan McIntyre was also on-hand for Saturday’s press conference to lend her support to the project. She isn’t sure what the provincial government’s role will be in the GEMS project, but explained the province provides partial funding for independent schools. So, if the boarding school goes ahead, and it meets provincial curriculum standards and criteria, they could be eligible for funding.

“We support choice for parents and choice for different kinds of schooling,” McIntyre said.

GEMS administrators will be waiting for the outcome of the PKS study, which they expect to see in mid-February, before moving ahead.

“We want to be sure that a school is feasible, that there are the demographics present in the location or within reach,” Rysdale said.

The study will give a “very strong” indication of whether GEMS will take the next step, but Rysdale said they would also be considering other factors, like their own strategic planning.

Sturdy said he understands GEMS’s desire to conduct a thorough assessment before committing to the project.

“My understanding is that we’re looking at up to 400 boarding students, so there’s a big infrastructure and capital investment associated with that.”

GEMS officials visited Pemberton in July and September, meeting with members of council and interested parents. But Rysdale says he was already very familiar with B.C., explaining that before he worked for GEMS, he had set up a smaller private school in Pitt Meadows a few years ago.

“I guess people up in Whistler had heard about the success of Greybrook Academy. They came down and viewed the school and engaged me in some conversations and asked if I would be interested in starting up a school in Pemberton.”

Rysdale believed the Pemberton area would be ideal for a private school, but felt it needed a larger organization to provide the necessary infrastructure.

“It wouldn’t have been something I would have taken on, because I think its too large a project in its scope and scale for any one individual to do — you need an organization with a proven track record, success behind it, and the resources to deliver the kind of facility and program the community merits.”

So when Rysdale began working for GEMS, he put the idea forward.

At Saturday’s press conference, Sturdy emphasized that the community should be working together to help GEMS officials move forward with the project.

“What we need to do is look at this opportunity, help them explore the opportunity, keep an open mind about it…”

Rysdale agrees that it is important to work with the local community.

“It’s not a question of just coming in with a major investment and plopping a school into place, and expecting it to be successful,” said Rysdale. “It has to be part of that community and the vision of that community, as well.”