The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Creighton School Board Chair Terry Brown raised some eyebrows Wednesday when he said there's "a strong possibility" declining enrollments could one day force the closure of Creighton Community School. Speaking at a public forum at the school, Brown said the board has investigated the possibility of establishing a high school program "with the realization that maybe, somewhere down the road, we might end up having to close this school and send everybody to Flin Flon." "I'm talking maybe 10, 12 years down the road, but there is a strong possibility," he said. In front of an audience of about 100 Creighton and Denare Beach taxpayers, Brown said the board felt a duty to explore the high school concept. He said the board projects Creighton and Denare Beach will have over 100 grade 10, 11 and 12 students as late as 2009, but enrollment in the younger grades are projected to decline. Without additional students, he said, the board would have to either seek additional tax revenue or cut existing programs. "You have to look at the financial implications that could happen," said Brown. Taxpayers would see it as irresponsible, he said, for the board not to at least explore the possibility of adding students to make use of empty space available in the school. The chairperson said the board has only determined so far that establishing a high school in Creighton is feasible and that the purpose of public forums this week was to get input from the public.
