Strong support shown for saving Our Lady of the Way School

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Almost 50 people attended the second Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) public meeting last Tuesday at Our Lady of the Way School (OLWS).
ARC Chairman Anthony Leek was very pleased to see such a turnout, when the last meeting only saw nine people attend. “It is great to see such a turnout. It signifies the importance of this school by your turnout,” said Leek at the beginning of the meeting.
ARC committee member and former OLWS Principal Mark Hyatt, made the first presentation of the evening. He spoke in both religious and general ethical terms, urging public presenters not to criticize staff or the school board for past actions, and to especially not name people specifically for actions in the past. Quoting the Bible, when he referred to Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
Director of Education Mary-Catherine Kelly then spoke to the crowd about several items. She addressed a request at the last meeting that the minutes from two school council meetings in the spring of last year be shared at the ARC meeting. “There were no formal minutes taken. Just notes.”
Kelly said that there were several phone calls and emails to the board office last spring and then there were the two council meetings where parents packed the gym, concerned about the way the school was functioning. “I did listen to the concerns. We met with the principal to ensure things could be done to improve the school for students,” said Kelly.
In June we had taken steps to improve the school and had hoped that the number of students would remain the same in the fall. But five families chose not return. With declining enrolment (down to 13 this current year from over 80 two years ago and over 50 last year) the number of extras kids get are limited. Things like sports were cutback to basically nil.
The school was divided into two classrooms of four grades each, two teachers and education assistants available to each group. With 13 students the school will see even deeper cuts to services. It will have one class with all grades in it and only a half-time principal.
Kelly noted that current principal Darlene Fejos-Rousseau will be transferred to St. Michaels in Fort Frances and former OLWS principal Brendan Hyatt will return to the school half-time.
Margo Saari, Superintendent of Education for the Northwest Catholic School Board gave the crowd the projected grades and the number of students based on current enrolment for next fall. She said next year they think there will be 1-Jr. Kindergarten, 2-grade 2, 2-grade 3, 5-grade 5, 1-grade 6 and 1-grade 8. Of the current 13 she also noted that only two are Catholic. “Our school is open to all students.”
Public Presentations
Stephanie Hyatt spoke to the issue of teachers losing their jobs due to the declining enrolment. “We as teachers fear that if OLWS closed or keeps going down we could lose five more teachers (in the Catholic system). We hope that relationships can be repaired and reverse this.”
Former OLWS teacher Mary Curtis then gave an emotional and heartfelt message to the ARC. Curtis said that she had her first teaching job with the board and was there when the school was built and opened 25 years ago.
Curtis referenced the two school council meetings from last spring saying, “There were minutes taken. Parents had concerns they wanted addressed. This is not about book shelves or the colour of books. This is about their children. They had meetings with the administration with no satisfaction. Parents wept openly at those meetings - pleading with the board and administration to make changes.”
Curtis said many parents had planned to pull their kids out of the school sooner but decided to wait until the school council meetings to see if changes could be made. “There was a drop of 40 students after the meetings.”
Curtis said the decline is a result of, “Poor leadership is to blame for not implementing changes needed... the newly assigned Principal is a year too late. He (Brendan Hyatt) saved this school before but he is facing a steep up hill battle.”
“Hearing tonight that there will only be one teacher here next year I find myself asking who wants this school? I believe the board is hiding under the declining enrolment umbrella.”
Curtis ended her presentation by playing a recording of the more than 100 students that sang the school song at the grand opening 25 years earlier. Her presentation and the song garnered a round of applause from the crowd.
Sheldon Olson of Stratton was next to speak. He noted that another ARC is looking at the public school in Barwick and he feels it may close. “If Sturgeon Creek School in Barwick and Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program (also in Stratton) relocates to Emo, there will not be an elementary school between Rainy River and Emo. Families have told me that there are residual issues here (at OLWS). Parents have said that if they are resolved and staff shuffled and promoted many would send their kids to OLWS if Barwick closes.”
Township of Morley Councillor George Heyens also spoke to the ARC. From the municipality’s perspective OWLS is a key to community’s future. “People come to a town and look for medial and educational facilities. With the mine getting set to open we feel some people will want to live in a rural area. But if there is no school here they may look elsewhere.”
ARC Chair Leek ended the meeting thanking everyone for their presentations. He said that Curtis’s playing of the school song personally moved him. “As a former student here from 1994-98, and now a substitute teacher here on occasion, I find myself singing that song. I now realize how important this school is here. I hope more people come out and talk about how important it is at the next meeting.”
The next meeting is May 29, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. at OLWS in Stratton.