By Angela Brown

Living Sky S.D. discussing merging Cut Knife schools

Dec 14, 2017 | 1:00 PM

The Living Sky School Division is considering merging its two schools in Cut Knife into one school as a result of reduced enrolment and to save costs.

The school board discussed the proposed plans to close the Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 school and have the lower grade classes move into the Grade 7 to 12 school, at its meeting Wednesday.

Based on current regulations, the division needs the School Community Council (SCC) of Cut Knife’s approval before it can move forward with its plans.

“Right now we are just in initial talks,” said Living Sky Director of Education Brenda Vickers.

She said Cut Knife SCC is contemplating whether to remain with two buildings, or to put the schools together to have one school, from elementary level up to Grade 12.  

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“We’ve shared some information and that’s about all at this time,” she added.

Vickers said part of the reason for the proposal involves budgeting concerns.

She said both schools have roofs that need repairs, and roof work is an expensive cost to the division.

Also since enrollment is declining, it would be more efficient to merge the schools and reduce infrastructure costs – putting money for maintenance costs into one building, and fix one roof instead of two, according to the school division. 

The school division has met with the SCC of Cut Knife a couple of weeks ago to begin discussions. 

Vickers said in the new year the division will meet with the SCC to further talks on the issue, and look at next steps – whether the SCC wants to meet with the community to gather feedback, or simply wait. 

“It’s the SCC of Cut Knife elementary that would let us know whether they give consent to do this or not,” she said. “If they don’t, we won’t.”

Vickers said there are currently about 125 students at the elementary school and about 90 students at the high school.

The elementary school enrolments are staying “fairly steady,” she said. “We project a slight decline over five years. But the high school is declining more steadily.”   

“It’s good judgement on the board’s part… when budgets are tight,” said Vickers. 

She said since the two schools in Cut Knife are located close together, it would seem like an efficient plan to merge the schools. 

The division doesn’t have any strict timelines about when it would like to proceed with its plans if it does receive approval from the SCC. 

She doesn’t anticipate there would be any changes for the next year however, even if the division received consent from the SCC because everything is still in the preliminary stages.

“Right now we are establishing a relationship,” Vickers said. “We’re trying to be transparent with the information. They [the SCC] are asking for information they need. The ball is in their court though. The SCC can say, yes, you have our consent to move forward. And if they say no, then that’s it.”

When contacted by battlefordsNOW, Cut Knife Elementary School Principal Michelle Ramsay, who is also on the School Community Council, said she didn’t want to comment at this time.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW