Strome School, with 6 students, closed by Superintendent

Battle River School Division (BRSD) Superintendent Dr. Larry Payne has directed the six remaining students at Strome School to attend Daysland School, effective Oct. 10, and will be locking the doors of Strome School.

In the spring of 2012, projected enrollment for Strome School was 54, but on Sept. 1, the actual number of students was down to 51.

In many schools, three students wouldn’t be a big change, but for Strome, it was five per cent of their total.

In 2010, as parents sought ways to keep the school open, they indicated to the BRSD that triple grading of core subjects, while not acceptable, was at least tolerable, but drew a line at quad grading core subjects.

With the projected numbers, the school faced quad grading on non-core subjects, and without knowing what the final enrolment numbers would be by Sept. 30, the division was unable to guarantee parents that quad grading of core subjects would not happen as well.

Payne confirmed that during the month of September, various Strome parents were asking questions of their school administrator, of people at the division office, and also seeking information from other schools.

Payne says, “All parents do have the right to move their children at any time, if they think their child’s educational needs can be better served in a different environment.”

The Strome Parent Council called a meeting on Thursday, Sept. 27 which was also attended by BRSD Board Chair Doug Bowie, Vice Chair and local trustee Peter Miller, along with trustees Shelly Grund-berg and Kendall Severson.

Division Superintendent Dr. Larry Payne, Assistant Superinten-dent, Instruction, Rick Jarrett, and Communi-cations Coordinator Diane Hutchinson also attended the meeting.

Payne said their role at that meeting, he felt, was to provide information and answer parent’s questions as best they could. “I felt the meeting was very respectful,” he added.

Doug Bowie, Board Chair, said, “I was very impressed with the level of respect and openness that parents displayed [during the meeting].

“The meeting began with a parent’s statement that every parent needed to do what was in the best interests of their own children, and that no family should be made to feel guilty for whatever decision they might make.

“It was clear that the group wanted to maintain their sense of community, and I really appreciate that.”

Read the rest of the story in the October 9, 2012 Edition of The Community Press, on newsstands now!