A public meeting has been scheduled for April 19 for community members concerned with closure of the high school program at Carbon School.
At the Golden Hills School Division Board of Trustees meeting on February 28, Ward 1 Trustee Lawrence Maerz made a Notice of Motion for consideration of the closure of the high school program at Carbon School. The board carried the motion.
Board chair David Price said the motion allows the division to begin the consultation process.
“There was a Notice of Motion for closure just so we could proceed with the process that involves consulting with the community and the parents and see what they might recommend to us,” said Price. “That is what the April 19 meeting is for, to seek input, and from there make any choices that make sense."
He said discussions like these could be difficult.
“Our philosophy is to provide as much information as we can, and good people with good information make good decisions. I can expect the same thing in Carbon,” said Price “We have been pretty forward with the information to this point and the local parent advisory committee is doing an excellent job of doing all kinds of engagement at their level, and this is one notch up from that. The board will work with the council and the community to see what the feelings are there.”
As of September 30 of this year the total high school enrollment according to the Motion was 25, and 40 per cent of the high school aged students in the Carbon School attendance area have chosen to attend other Golden Hills Schools. This percentage has been increasing.
"The high school has been suffering because of some of the students choosing to go elsewhere,” said Price.
A Notice of Motion for closure follows a formalized process that follows the Golden Hills Board of Trustees Governance polices and procedures as well as ministerial regulations
The meeting is on Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at the Carbon School Gymnasium.
