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.
Carrie King was thrilled with last month's decision to establish a high school program at Creighton Community School. She prefers small class sizes. She feels it's unfair to send Creighton and Denare Beach students to high school in Flin Flon in grade 10, a year later than Flin Flon students. She doesn't like the idea of students switching from the Saskatchewan curriculum to that of Manitoba. "I'm 100 per cent for the high school," says the mother of two daughters currently attending Creighton school. King is not alone. A number of Creighton and Denare Beach residents have quietly supported the high school initiative while the more vocal opponents have articulated their disapproval. "I think there's probably more support for this happening than there is against it," says King. "I think the support is stronger than people realize." King says that many opponents of the high school no longer have children in the school system, and she wonders what is motivating some of them. With regard to the petition that has been started by a group of residents who want the issue revisited, King feels the opponents have already had their chance to speak. "I would think the decision has been made," she says. "The school board should be able to make their decision and not have someone come back and say it was an incorrect decision. "I think they've looked at this long enough. People had an opportunity for months to go and discuss this with anyone they wanted to." A mother of three children in Creighton school, who asked that her name not be published, says the opponents have always been louder than those who support the high school, including herself. "We are out there and we're happy with the decision. That's why we're not being as vocal as the negative people are," she says. The mother admits to being "disappointed" with the petition drive, suggesting opponents are unjustly "scared of the unknown." "It's never been done before. It could turn out to be an amazing school," she says. "That's the problem I have with this petition. They're petitioning against something that doesn't exist." Like many supporters, the mother spoke highly of Creighton school, saying it has served her children well and provides them with an excellent learning environment. "And why not take it that much further to include high school?" she asks. "If they can deliver the curriculum up to standard, then let's go for it." She also stands up for the Creighton School Board, members of which have faced strong criticism from those who resent their decision. "They've obviously done their homework or they would have never got to the point of making a decision," she says. "Second of all, this issue has been looked at for years." Deanna Scheres has three children attending Creighton school and looks forward to seeing them one day graduate in their home community. She supports the new high school in part because of concerns she has relative to the high school system in Flin Flon. She made reference to her son, who attends Hapnot Collegiate. "I don't feel that he is doing as good as he can be and is getting the support that he would have been getting if he had have stayed in Creighton school," says Scheres, adding that her son agrees. With regard to the petition, Scheres says everyone is entitled to their opinion but worries that some opponents may not be considering the potential cost of not going ahead with the high school. "In the long run, everyone has to look out for the future," she says, referring to the financial obstacles the Creighton board projects without the addition of the program. Organizers of the petition report that they have had success in getting people to add their signatures. Nevertheless, Scheres, like King and others, believes there is a majority in favour of the high school. "I feel there is a great deal of support," says Scheres. "From the people I talked to, a lot of them do support it. They feel bad that it has to come to this, but a majority does support it, yes." See 'Agreement' P.# Con't from P.# In agreement with her was another mother of a Creighton student, who requested anonymity because she feels her support of the high school might lead to friction with friends and family in Flin Flon. The parent says she can understand where the petition organizers are coming from but feels the longer the issue goes on, the more hard feelings are created between opponents and proponents. "It's kind of going on and on and on," she says. "The decision has already been made and I wish that we could just have the high school and give it a try. "It's frustrating because people won't let it be, they won't let the progression happen." Observers on both sides of the high school issue have complained that the most important group of people are being overlooked in this sometimes heated debate Ñ the students. For Carrie King, that's simply not the case. "My daughters are thrilled they'll be able to stay in their school," she says. "They definitely want to be able to stay."
