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.
Flin Flon City Council won't take a formal position on the Creighton high school issue, but on Tuesday the individual councillors weren't shy about sharing their opinions on the matter. Even though no announcement has come, Councillor Dave Kennedy said he was worried that the Creighton School Board has already made a decision to add grades 10, 11 and 12 to Creighton Community School. Councillor Kennedy said he didn't agree with some of the benefits touted in a feasibility report on the addition of a high school program, which, if implemented, would subtract more than 100 high schoolers from the Flin Flon system. "I am concerned that a lot of it has been to justify a decision that's been made," he said. Councillor Kennedy said he understood animosity toward the current partnership in which the Creighton School Division pays its Flin Flon counterpart student fees but lacks representation on the Flin Flon School Board. In his view, it's up to the Flin Flon board to settle that situation. "I'd like to say, without being inflammatory, that maybe if the Flin Flon School Board has not come up with a resolution by now that would resolve that problem, then maybe the wrong people are working on it," said Kennedy. Like Councillor Kennedy, Mayor Dennis Ballard said he didn't agree with everything contained in the feasibility report on the potential high school, which was written by a task force assembled by the Creighton School Division. Specifically, he cast doubt on the projection that the division would save some $300,000 per year by adding a the new grades. The report forecasts the savings would stem from additional per-student funding from the Saskatchewan government as well as the accessibility of grants available only to school divisions with high schools. "I guess probably somebody would have to prove to me that $300,000 saving," said the mayor. "Somebody would have to prove that to me. I don't think that's realistic, and I don't buy the argument that you'll be able to get all these other grants out there. I'd be very surprised if that's the case." Councillor Therien said he wasn't sure the Creighton School Board would reach a decision based on what's best for the students because he believes the underlying issue is Creighton's lack of representation on the Flin Flon board. Councillor Huntley echoed the sentiments of a number of residents when he said the status quo is what's best for maintaining a quality level of education for students on both sides of the border. "It's a concern for the quality of education for our children going forward," he said. At the end of the day, Councillor Dave Law commented, the people of Creighton and Denare Beach and their elected education officials will decide which route they wish to take. "It's their right to make that decision and we have to respect that right," he said, drawing nods from others at the table. The discussion on the proposed high school Ñ the second time in a month Council has discussed the matter Ñ came after Councillor Nazir Ahmad suggested Council adopt a formal position on the matter. There was not a consensus to do so, and he did not take the suggestion any further. At the conclusion of the discussion, Councillor Huntley stressed that "the conversation wasn't meant to inflame people to pose Flin Flon against Creighton or anything like that." The Creighton School Board will announce by Jan. 15 whether it will begin implementing a high school program at Creighton Community School next September.
