Second public meeting on future of Stratton school is tonight

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The second in at least four public meetings to decide the future of Stratton’s Catholic School (Our Lady of the Way School) will be held this evening.
The first meeting was held on March 20th with very few members of the public in attendance. At least one of those present at that meeting said she plans to give a presentation to the Accommodation Review Committee tonight.
With a big decline in enrolment this past year, 14 from 52, the Northwest Catholic District School Board began the Accommodation Review process in an attempt to decide whether to keep the school open or close it. At last month’s meeting the board’s Superintendent of Business Chris Horwath outlined the savings the board could realize if it were closed. He pegged the amount at about $138,000.
However, ARC Chair Anthony Leek noted that the process is not just about dollars and cents. The committee will also take into account the impact of losing or keeping Catholic education in the Stratton area.
The meeting tonight begins at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. However, only those who gave the required notice to be on the agenda will be allowed to make presentations to the committee. It will be held in the gym at the school in question.
New Principal for OLWS
In other Our Lady of the Way news, the Catholic board announced its principal appointments for the upcoming year. Principal Darlene Fejos-Rousseau will be transferred to St. Michaels School in Fort Frances and Brendan Hyatt will take over at Our Lady of the Way School in Stratton.