Neepawa parents show some support for small schools
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, February 5, 2014
By: Kate Jackman-Atkinson
myWestman.ca
On Feb. 4, eight Neepawa families attended an informational meeting to learn more about the small schools at Eden and Brookdale. Parent councils at both schools are hoping to attract students from Neepawa to help boost their declining enrollment.
The meeting included parent council members, school representatives as well as division staff and trustees. It aimed to provide information and answer questions.
The two rural elementary schools in the Beautiful Plains School Division have seen their enrollment decrease as the number of rural residents decline and those that remain have smaller families. In Neepawa on the other hand, both the elementary school and high school have seen a sharp increase in enrollment. This increase is due to both population growth in the town as well as parents choosing to send their children to school in Neepawa.
Brookdale School has 21 students in Kindergarten to Grade 7 (the school goes to Grade 8 but there are no students in that grade this school year) and JM Young has 29 students in Kindergarten to Grade 8.
Division representatives were at the meeting to answer questions but have been clear that they won’t promote one school over another.
“The purpose of the board’s decision is not to try and persuade people to attend one of our smaller schools, rather their intent is to try and look at yet another option to try and be proactive in addressing the possible space challenges the division may face in the future,” said superintendent Jason Young.
The small schools offer a unique environment and some different programming because of their small size. However, since bus transportation from Neepawa to either school has never been available, parents in Neepawa who want their children to attend the small schools have had to transport their children themselves.
Working with the small schools, the school division has said that if there is enough interest, they will run a bus from Neepawa. The division has said a minimum of 20 students are required to make the route viable. Students would be picked up from one central location and travel a highway route. Stops along the route would be made on a case-by-case basis. Young says that a pick up location hasn’t yet been decided. “Safety would be the main factor for deciding upon a location. With that being said, it would make sense that either NACI or HMK would serve our needs the best,” he said.
Of those families attending the meeting, two were interested in JM Young and the remaining families were interested in Brookdale School. Becky Szucki, Brookdale School parent council president said that overall they were happy with the turnout.
“It was smaller than hoped, but it’s a start,” she said.
Szucki said that the goal was to inform parents about some of the unique features a small school can offer.
“[Brookdale School] is like a little family, the kids in Kindergarten to Grade 7 interact,” she said. “All the children know each other; something that isn’t possible in a larger school.”
Parents made their decisions following the meeting.
“They have to make the decision that’s best for their family; we’ll leave it with them to decide” continued Szucki.
Neepawa parents who are interested in their children attending one of the small schools are to submit their school of choice applications to the school division by May 15. On the form, they can indicate whether transportation is required.
If fewer than 20 students complete a school of choice application for Brookdale or Eden and bus transportation isn’t provided from Neepawa, those children can still attend school in Neepawa.
“Children are always able to attend the school within their catchment area,” said Young.
Parents looking for information can contact the division office at 476-2388. They can also contact parent council members from either school if they are looking for a parent’s perspective of either school.
