School board members of the North East School Division (NESD) certainly do not have an easy task ahead of them, that much became apparantly obvious after the last of three meetings were held to discuss potential school closures with area residents.
With the division considering the closure of Broadway School in Melfort, droves of people united last Thursday evening to show their support of Broadway Community School and give their reasons why its doors should remain open.
Director of Education Ivan Yackel and Superintendent of Business Administration Ralph Paquin explained that currently in the division, declining student populations has led to decreased financing, putting the division in a precarious place that would lead to a deficit in the coming year if not corrected.
Since 2002 the division has lost 789 students and it is projected that the division will lose around 152 full-time equivalency students in the coming school year. This will lead to a decrease in the funds the division will receive, as provincially school divisions are funded on a per student basis. Combined with inflation, this is expected to lead to a $2 million shortfall.
Among the concerns brought forward by Melfort and area residents were not just concerns for what will happen to their children now, but also what will happen in the future as Melfort is aggressively marketing itself for future growth and expansion.
Mayor Kevin Phillips explained that the possibility of attracting families to the Melfort area is a distinct reality thanks to upcoming projects like the NESCO meat, a multi-species processing plant, and the Shore Gold Diamond Project in the Fort La Corne area. He also pointed to the fact that the Kelsey Trail Health Region has reported to him that 74 per cent of new professional hirees are from out of province.
"We are some 40 miles south of some of the richest diamond discovery in the world," he explained. "Next year's exploration budget up there of 66 million dollars will make it the largest single exploration project of any kind on earth. In two years, there will be 1,000 personnel on grounds up there. The diamond discovery in the Fort La Corne area is as important to the diamond industry as the tar sands are to the oil industry."
"Melfort is the nearest major community to the mine, we have the best roads coming to our community," Phillips continued. "We will aggressively market ourselves to Shore Gold and to each and every one of its employees. We have a recreation facility that is second to none, we have organizations, churches, health care and yes, we have a fine education system."
Many in the audience noted that the potential gain of families and students will be futile unless there are school facilities to educate them. By the NESD's own figure there is currently room for 148 students at the Maude Burke Community School, Reynolds School and Brunswick School combined to accommodate Broadway's 93 K-Grade 6 students.
Shawn Russin, Chair of the Melfort Diamond Committee, explained that typically 1,000 workers will be needed to operate a mine and expected Melfort to attract hundreds of families.
"Not only are we the world's largest diamond mine, we are the only one in a temperate area. Would you rather live six months of the year, fly-in only in the Northwest Territories... where you don't have your family, or would you rather move here and bring your family?" he asked.
"If we get 1,000 people on one mine and we bring in 200 to the city, that is 200 families. If we get 400 workers off of two mines, 600 workers off of three mines and so on and so forth, how many families is that, how many children?"
Paquin explained that in the past increased mill rates have helped to cover the delcine in funding, but that now the division must look at correcting any inefficiencies that may exist in the school division. Currently, the region's mill rate is set at 21 mills for the 2007 fiscal year, which has already meant an increase of 7.1 per cent in the Melfort area.
While everyone at the meeting agreed that financial responsibility is a valid concern, many felt that what they would be losing is worth more than what the division would gain from closure. While the school does have a low student teacher ratio at 13.5 to the division average of 14.8, many of the attendees were quick to point out that their children have benefited from the added attention a low ratio provides.
"In total, school-based expenditures for Broadway School come in at just over $723,000, with $74,437 spent in plant operation and maintenance and $648,746 spent on instructional expenses."
School Community Council Chair for Broadway School, Lori Constant, elaborated on the many activities that are available in the school.
"Our children benefit from what Broadway offers both inside and outside the classroom," she noted, listing several activities.
"The smile card program which recognizes sudents' positive behaviour, daily after-school activities, the winter clothing exchange where our entire community can access winter clothing as needed, the parents and tot program which promotes early literacy experiences for our preschoolers and our parents, the universal snack program, a daily mid-morning nutritional snack for all our students and staff often prepared by our very own parent volunteers and the bridging the generations project which partners our children with seniors from our community."
Certainly if the board of education is wrong about the potential of Melfort, Mayor Phillips explained it will be a costly mistake.
"If you close Broadway School now without considering the future and without considering the opportunity ahead for Northern Saskatchewan and Melfort in particular, and you are wrong, it will be costly," he said to the board.
"To reopen this school, bring it up to code will cost millions, to build another school, you know, millions, to add on to another school, all of it would cost a great deal of money. What will be harmed is the unique community school that we have and you have worked so hard to build in our community. I would suggest that the gamble you take in betting against the future you will regret."
In addition to Broadway Community School, other schools that are being looked at for closure are the Sylvania School and Smeaton School. The board is expected to have a final decision sometime in May.
