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Saturday , December 30 1899

Comments (total comments:13)

Peter :

Unless people start having more kids in these towns the schools have to close. Does it make sense to keep all the schools open if there are no kids?

Posted: 10/5/2012 5:42:18 PM

Colin :

How can people think about putting kindergarden students on a bus for 45 minutes each way to clarenville schools . Bet the ones who came up with these recommendations wouldn't do it to there own kids

Posted: 10/5/2012 4:02:29 PM

New Mom :

I came from a small, rural, school and I received an awesome education. I may have had to do a few courses through distance, but I would never trade my education for anything. I think that making the schools larger is not the way to go.

Riverside Elementary for instance, already has a population of 700+ from grades K-6 and from what I hear, the kids are like sardines in the caferteria trying to eat their lunch. Due to the numbers, they cannot take anything to heat up for their lunch and have to either buy or eat something cold. I totally dread for the day for my daughter to have to start school. I think that I'd rather move to a smaller area and have her attend a less populated school.

Posted: 10/5/2012 3:02:01 PM

Amanda :

You all make some good points but if you really look at it, some of these schools only have 5 to 6 students going to each grade. Is it far to join schools? maybe not, but the amount of money saved by doing so outweighs keeping a school open for 100 kids over all grades. Well I think so anyway.

Posted: 10/5/2012 2:23:22 PM

Frustrated to say the least :

So next fall my daughter will start kindergarten in one of these proposed new school locations. She will travel on the bus for approximately 3 hours per day as we live in the farthest community from the the school. Funny thing is she will only be in class learning for about three hours a day by then time you consider recess and the half day kindergarten. Tell me would travel 1.5 hours each way to work for three hours and do think that a five year old child should have to endure this. And that is just one reason why these proposed changes are cruel to our provinces youth.

Posted: 10/5/2012 12:48:22 PM

Concerned mom :

I am a mother of 2 children attending Holy Cross Elementary in Holyrood. I am extremely upset about the proposed changes for our area. Although it will not directly affect my family for the next 2 years, I will certainly do all i can to keep our school a K-6. I know there are K-12's out there that work however i cant see this being a a great thing. It seems like everyone is going to lose out somewhere (playgrounds, phys Ed time etc)- except the board...they'll be in the $$$. More concerned about the dollars than our children.

Posted: 10/5/2012 12:32:12 PM

Hmmm? :

Are all of these changes having to do with the development of Muskrat Falls and trying to save a few bucks for the province while the project is on-going?

Posted: 10/5/2012 11:32:38 AM

Natasha :

I will make several points. First, the schools are NOT just for the students and many school administrators overlook its VALUE in the community. Some host community events, Cadets, sports acivities, community meetings, Libraries for all members of a community. Its time for the school boards to look at how schools/classrooms can be used for as more of a multi-purpose instiution for a community (e.g. office for public health nurse, office for a social worker, office for police officers, etc, etc,). Think OUTSIDE the BOX.

Secondly, declining enrollment is a trend for the future in many towns that are economically challenge. However, there are other towns that are growing. For example, the school in Whitbourne is the center of much economic acdtivity here on the Avalon (e.g. Vale Inco, Bull Arm, Argentia). Vale Inco along will creat over 500 permanent jobs along with many more "spin-off jobs". As families move here to fill those jobs, where are their kids going to go to school. There is NO school in Long Harbour. We need schools to attract people to rural areas

Posted: 10/5/2012 11:16:54 AM

NLer :

totally agree sally . . . gov does not care about young ppl in general . . i mean look at what they are doing with pensions/old age pension/wages and what not . .and anyone over 50/55 do not care as well along with the goverment . .by the time i and these kids are out of high school we will have nothing to look forward to

Posted: 10/5/2012 10:34:36 AM

Thelma :

I am in agreement with Sally about the overcrowded schools.Our government must not be taking our provinces kids into consideration at all, if they were,then they would not even be considering some of these changes.My children will be affected by on of these changes and I know from the bottom of my heart that this change will not benefit them in anyway.

Posted: 10/5/2012 10:04:03 AM

No no :

They have to get the money somewhere for Muskrat Falls.Look out Health Care and Education!!

Posted: 10/5/2012 9:48:35 AM

H JEFFORD :

A lot of schools had a problem with mould, Is this the reason some schools are closing, Mould in schools is caused by Dampness if the heat is turned off the schools get cold and damp causing Mould to form, The schools are Damp because a Co. in the USA that make the heater units controle those units from the factory this is why the units are locked in the hallways in those schools if the school wants the heat turned on they have to call the USA factory that make those units and they will turn up the heat,all computer controled

Posted: 10/5/2012 9:31:38 AM

Sally :

All they want are large, overcrowded, super schools. No more will you see a small community school in rural Newfoundland. Obviously the children are not taken into consideration but they are looking at all the money they think they will save.

I am surprised that they have not closed St. Francis of Assisi in Outer Cove or St Mary's on Waterford Bridge Road. These are both small schools with low enrollments. They will probably be next on the chopping block,

Posted: 10/5/2012 7:15:29 AM

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