Students at Arborfield School in 2021. (Facebook/Arborfield School)

By Jaryn Vecchio

School Review

NESD holding meeting on Arborfield School as decision on closing it down fast-approaching

Feb 2, 2023 | 12:16 PM

The North East School Division (NESD) is set to hold an in-person meeting to discuss the future of Arborfield School.

The school is under review since it only has 67 students enrolled, which is under the minimum target of 88 students.

Stacy Lair, the Director of Education for NESD, told northeastNOW families will get a chance to provide their thoughts on whether the school should remain open.

“It’s also an opportunity for the (school) board to share all of the information back to the community.”

The specific information won’t just be about student enrollment numbers.

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Lair explained that the review was kickstarted because of the small population, however, the process also looks into the quality of education being provided, the impacts of split grades, the school’s financials, employee experience, the condition of the building, and transportation.

After this meeting, the NESD plans on holding some online availability for those who want to provide their feedback but couldn’t attend.

A final decision is expected to happen soon after, though there’s no exact timeline. The latest a decision can be made is Apr. 30, 2023, but Lair noted they don’t people waiting that long for an answer.

“It’s a significant emotional toll on the community, our staff, and most importantly a toll on students,” she said. “Small-town Saskatchewan schools are a hub and center of towns and Arborfield has a very vibrant group of young families that are very involved in the community.”

Lair didn’t want to speculate on what the decision will be. She did mention that if the school does shut down, the new Carrot River School being built will be able to accommodate every student.

“Whether it be a year or many years (from now) I think, in terms of planning, it was something that needed to be attended to.”

The in-person meeting is scheduled for Feb.15 starting at 7 p.m. at the Arborfield Community Hall.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow