Reviews launched

P.E.I. is about to undertake a huge round of public consultations regarding the future of six families of schools.

The Public Schools Branch accepted recommendations Tuesday to conduct in-depth reviews on the school families based on initial research conducted by former interim superintendent Bob Andrews. It showed declining enrollment projections during the next six years in the six families of schools.

The Charlottetown Rural, Morell, Colonel Gray, Kinkora, Westisle, and Montague families of schools will undertake the reviews with options for category two level recommendations being a possible outcome. A category two recommendation could potentially involve schools closures.

The Bluefield, Three Oaks Senior High, Souris and Kensington families of schools were recommended to stay status quo and will not be reviewed further.

The news was disappointing for Janet Payne, a mother of seven children, three of whom have graduated from the Kinkora family of schools, three who are currently enrolled and one who has yet to start in the system.

“I’m not surprised,” said Payne.

“Since the ‘70s, we’ve always heard the fear that our schools would be closed down,” she added.

“But it’s worrisome to me in the sense that I feel so strongly that the school is not just a place for the kids to get an excellent education, it’s a place where kids can actually become part of their community.”

She pointed out when people from the seniors housing adjacent to Kinkora Regional High need help with things like taking in their groceries, they call the school and a few kids go over to help.

Those are skills that are taught more so at smaller, rural schools, she said.

She’s looking forward to participating in the consultation process regarding her school and suspects she won’t be alone.

Before Tuesday night’s meeting in Summerside ended, Harvey MacEwen, one of the Public Schools Branch board members, encouraged all Island parents to take those consultations seriously and to participate to their fullest extent.

“It’s going to be very important over the next few months that parents, people in these communities, … get out, attend the meetings. We want your input, we need your input. There are no easy answers for declining enrollment,” said MacEwen.

Information on school enrollments and utilization in each family of schools, collected by Andrews, will be available starting Wednesday on the Better Learning for All website at princeedwardisland.ca/betterlearningforall.