Trustees for the Bluewater District School Board have a huge decision to make in the days ahead.
The Accommodation Review Committee will make their final recommendations on the future of some schools in Chesley, Hanover and Kincardine.
The board will then have a number of options to vote on — including a J-K to Grade 12 school in both Chesley and Hanover.
Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker — and his Federal counterpart, MP Larry Miller — will both be paying close attention to the decision.
Walker says he’s in favour of the J-K to Grade 12 option — and leaving Chesley without a school of its own would be devastating to the community.
Walker notes its hard to justify closing a school like CDHS — which is a highly regarded school and also offers a very unique agriculture program.
He adds Chesley would also be hard hit by the loss of student jobs.
Walker tells Bayshore Broadcasting News, that the current funding formula used by the Ministry of Education doesn’t fit the mould of rural communities.
He says closing a school in Toronto has far less of an impact than closing one in a rural community — but the Ministry doesn’t seem to understand that.
The final decision will be made Tuesday at 7 PM at the Bluewater board office in Chesley.
Bayshore Broadcasting News will be there.
