Chignecto-Central schools to close, despite push to hub school model
'At the end of the day we have to make the best decision ...for the 70 other schools'
Last night the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board voted to close three schools that some had been pushing to have converted into community hubs.
But in the end, the board agreed with a staff report that said it's not financially possible to keep the schools open and that the hub proposals did not meet the requirements set out by the province.
The schools in River John, Maitland and Wentworth will close at the end of the school year.
Trudy Thompson, chair of the CCRSB, says all three communities had not met the Department of Education's criteria for hub schools.
"The criteria says the proposed hub model must be operationally and financially viable and that it must result in no increase capital or operational costs for the school board as compared to the board's plan for that facility," she says.
Maitland District Elementary School's proposal included a plan to lease classrooms to local businesses. River John Consolidated proposed that a team of volunteers would create an educational centre on the main floor of the school, along with an art gallery and café.
Depending on the school's annual operating costs, their proposed hub model would have to generate between $100,000 and $250,000 in annual revenue to meet criteria set out by school board staff.
None of the proposals met the criteria but Education Minister Karen Casey thanked the communities for their efforts.
"I know communities are disappointed with that. I know they put a lot of work into that but the decision was made by the board and I believe that the communities followed the guidelines, the board followed the guidelines and the board made their decision," she says.
Thompson says it was a difficult decision, especially as someone who grew up in a small, rural community.
"There was a lot of passion and I understand where these communities are coming from but at the end of the day we have to make the best decision — not only for those three schools that were discussed last night — but for the 70 other schools and the over 20,000 students that we represent," she said.
Casey says there is no appeal available for the schools.
"There's nothing that allows for an appeal of that board decision, the board decision is final and it has been made," she says.
The minister says this is the first time the hub model has been tested and says it has the potential to work for other communities.