Parents of Benalto School students are considering ways of increasing enrolment at their children’s school after being told the school’s future could be in doubt.
Chinook’s Edge School Division recently completed a two-year viability study of the school in light of stagnant enrolment — which the division says decreased slightly further over the course of the study.
With 30 students currently enrolled, school staff and parents have been told numbers must now go up before the start of the new school year in September, at which point the school board will make a decision on the school’s future.
“The bottom line is we need our numbers up,” said Kelly Mykyte, vice president of the school’s parent council. “If we have our numbers increased by 15 kids, (the board) will definitely take notice.”
To that end, Mykyte and other parents have begun extolling the school’s virtues to parents in Sylvan Lake and Eckville, informing them that they too can send their children to school in Benalto.
There are, according to Mykyte, plenty of benefits to doing so.
“When you come to Benalto, you see this is how school should be,” she said. “The level of education is good, the teachers are so involved with the students, and all of the kids play together — all ages — where you don’t really see that in the bigger schools.
“I really truly think that when people move to Sylvan, they don’t even consider Benalto, but it is an option out there.”
Chinook’s Edge superintendent Kurt Sacher said division staff will continue to monitor the school’s enrolment situation closely between now and September.
“No decisions have been made as far as what the board will be doing next year, but it certainly is on our radar, and in the meantime, we’re trying to support some really devoted parents that are trying everything to bump the numbers up for their school,” he said. “We’ve been thoroughly impressed with that school council and what they’ve attempted to do to try and secure a higher level of student enrolment over the long haul.”
If numbers don’t increase, the fate of the school will “depend on what the board would like to do,” he added.
“We’ve certainly mentioned to them that we’re concerned about the enrolment ... and I as a superintendent have a responsibility to make the board aware of those numbers in September,” he said. “We found that there’s a really positive learning environment for students there with the teachers that are in place and the caring staff that are there, and it’s just the goal of the school council and our goal to ensure that we’re able to continue to provide that level of service over the long haul.”
Meanwhile, Mykyte assures she’s ready to do whatever it takes to ensure the school’s long-term future.
“I’m very passionate about the school and the community, because if the school fails, the community starts to suffer,” she said. “Now is the time where people start thinking about schools for next year, and it gives parents time to make an informed decision.”