CBE severing ties with National Sports School
The National Sports School will lose its connection to the public school board in June, but parents are working to keep it open at the world-class Winsport facility within a different district.
Trustees with the Calgary Board of Education voted unanimously to close the school under their jurisdiction, with promises to help families transition the unique program to the Palliser School Division.
Parents and athletes from the school spoke in favour of the transition at a special virtual meeting Wednesday, with hopes that ongoing discussions with the Palliser division will create a win for all stakeholders.
“I have two words for this plan — everybody wins,” said Laughlin Currie, whose son is an elite tennis player attending NSS.
“Winsport is a world-class facility thanks to the 1988 Olympic legacy, providing services and supports for athletes including training, sport psychology and athlete development,” he added.
“And don't underestimate the culture that's been created where like-minded athletes facing the same challenges and time constraints can study together and teachers are invested in their success.”
Currie said the NSS parent group has already met with Palliser and “they are very keen” to take on the program.
Liam Van Horne, a high school student at NSS who competes as an elite alpine skier, expects to miss nearly 60 days of school this winter for training and competition, and said only a school like NSS could make that work.
“At NSS I feel completely supported in academics and in sport,” he said.
Earlier this month, the CBE held a public hearing for the closure of the program under CBE, after administrators noted that costs to run the school have soared to more than $1.8 million.
The majority of parents at the hearing supported cutting ties with CBE if the program can continue through Palliser.
CBE is also offering the option for students to redirect to Bowness High School, but still allow them to use facilities at Canada Olympic Park for the same $4,750 annual fee they have always paid to WinSport.
Phil Graham, CEO of Winsport, said he, too, is looking forward to redirecting the program to Palliser School Division in hopes of keeping most of the students on site, now at nearly 200 from Grades 9 to 12.