ATHABASCA — The closure of the K-6 school in the village of Andrew at the end of the school year is prompting some parents to investigate enrolling their children at H.A. Kostash School in Smoky Lake, Aspen View Public Schools trustees learned at their May 25 meeting.
As reported by CBC, Elk Island Public Schools trustees voted on May 4 to close Andrew School at the end of June due to its dwindling student population and the need to perform more than $3 million in repairs to the building.
Supt. Neil O’Shea indicated that the closest school to Andrew would be the newly constructed H.A. Kostash School in Smoky Lake, which is about a half-hour drive northwest of Andrew.
Incidentally, Aspen View was set to receive “interim acceptance” of the new school on May 26, with staff tours to occur on May 29. A grand opening ceremony for the new school will be held in September.
O’Shea indicated some new students had already registered from Andrew. Though most were spread out through the grades, the newcomers apparently included five Grade 2 students.
Trustee Elohne Chizawsky said more students were potentially coming, though they were not yet registered.
She said some parents had asked her if Aspen View would provide bussing from the Elk Island school division.
Chizawskiy said they had discussed potentially establishing a meet-point at Métis Crossing where students could be picked up from.
She suggested that some parents had gotten the impression from Alberta Education that Aspen View would receive funding to come over to Elk Island to pick kids up.
However, O’Shea stressed that Aspen View would definitely not do that, as it was not currently in their policy.
"Nobody can direct us to go in and take someone else’s children,” O’Shea said. “Even if they say, ‘we’ll give you the money,’ we can still say no, we’re not doing that.”
