Parents and students gave their feedback to members of the Golden Hills School Division, but the decision to close the high school program at Carbon School has yet to be made.
“We had mixed feedback. There are some parents who feel that closure is not something they would choose, but something that is inevitable, given the number of students. There was a group that wanted to see the high school program continue,” said Golden Hills Superintendent Bevan Daverne.
Over 90 people attended the meeting. The night opened with a brief speech by Daverne, where he described the situation the school faces and why the closure is being considered.
“Over the last ten years, the high school program in Carbon has had a regular decline,” said Daverne. “Ten years ago we would have had about 50 students, now we have 24.”
Daverne went on to explain that 40 per cent of the eligible high school students in the Carbon area attend other schools, such as in Acme, Three Hills, or Drumheller.
“Our enrollment is at the point where parents are making the choice for their kids to go elsewhere,” said Daverne.
Parents are choosing other schools, because of the lack of options, programming, and career training. Other factors include students sometimes having to rely on distance learning to cover their courses and blended courses.
Afterwards, the attendees broke into ten groups and were tasked with answering several questions.
The first was what should happen to the high school program. Reactions varied from it should remain open to closed and have the students go to Acme or have parents/students choose their own school.
The second question focused on, if the program were to cease, whether to send students to Acme or redraw the school zone boundaries and have students go to their closest school. Some respondents felt keeping students together was best, others were of the opinion it would be easiest if parents/students chose their school.
The last question was what should be the priorities for high school programming. Responses included options, career training, field trips, more fine arts, and some felt the core courses were enough.
“We got a lot of feedback over the course of the night,” said Daverne. “All of that information will go help the board make their decision.”
The motion to consider closing the Carbon High School program was first tabled in the Golden Hills School Division board meeting in February.
The feedback from the meeting on April 19 can be viewed on the Golden Hills School Division website, www.ghsd75.ca.
The final decision will be made at the Golden Hills School Division board meeting on May 29.
“The board has not made a decision to close the school,” said Daverne. “We’ve been collecting information and the decision will happen in the May meeting,”
