Chesley District High School will remain open.
Bluewater Board trustees have said yes to two JK to Grade 12 schools in Chesley and in Hanover.
The initial vote was nine in favour and two against.
That creates two JK to Grade 12 schools — which keeps a school in Chesley and builds a new one in Hanover.
It would result in the closure of John Diefenbaker Secondary School and Dawnview School in Hanover and Kinghurst Elementary School.
Board Chair Marg Gaviller and Vice Chair John Chapman were the two dissenting votes.
Chapman says he just wanted to give the board and administration a wake-up call.
He says with rural funding not working and declining enrolment, it’s time to come up with new creative ways to do business and students aren’t getting all the courses they need.
Gaviller feels bigger is better when it comes to providing courses and activities to students.
That’s why she favoured a regional school that would have closed Chesley High.
In the end, the vote became unanimous on a motion from Chapman calling for unity on the board as they move forward.
The Kincardine ARC recommendations were deferred until November 1st.
