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.
The Creighton School Division would save some $300,000 each year by offering a full high school program at Creighton Community School. That's one of the findings of a report released this week concluding that it is feasible to add grades 10, 11 and 12 to the school. "These funds can certainly have a huge impact on the quality of our school," read the report, written by staff from the school and the school division. The savings would stem from the fact that Creighton Community School receives provincial funding based on its enrollment, so more students would mean more money. The addition of three new grades would also allow the school to access grants it cannot currently obtain. Moreover, the additional grade levels would mean the Creighton School Division would no longer pay a fee to the Flin Flon School Division for Saskatchewan students enrolled on the Manitoba side. This past February, 149 Saskatchewan students were attending school in Flin Flon, all but 20 of them at the high school level. For decades, Creighton and Denare Beach students have concluded their secondary schooling in Flin Flon, but that would change if the Creighton School Division adopts the additional grades. The 47-page report states that due to a declining student population, it would be possible to implement the grades without major construction. But administrative staff who helped write the report believe that building a second storey atop the arts lab may be needed "in order to enhance programming opportunities." The report states that the Creighton School Division has more than enough money available to build the second storey, which would cost an estimated $650,000 and include a science lab, two classrooms and storage space. "It is clear that we can afford to make the additions and renovations we may need," reads the report, "without further burdening the taxpayers of the Creighton School Division or the provincial government." See 'Suggestions' P.# Con't from P.# The report looked at the possible inclusion of the grades on the premise that grade 10 would be implemented in the fall of 2004, with grades 11 and 12 to follow in 2005 and 2006 respectively. If a complete high school program is added, the report projects that the school will have 102 students in the three grade levels by 2006. The report projects that nine staff members would be available in the fall of 2006 to teach the additional students. Included in the report were suggestions as to other changes that may be desirable if the grades are added, including online course offerings, vocational counselling and a possible alternative education program. The report mentioned a number of other potential impacts of a full high school program, including: Creighton and Denare Beach students would be taught Saskatchewan curricula, eliminating problems currently associated with students making the transition to the Manitoba curricula after grade 9; The Creighton School Division would have control of the high school program attended by Saskatchewan students; Older students will serve as role models for younger ones; Younger students will be able to access the more sophisticated teaching equipment used at the high school level; Cross-grade activities, such as reading programs, can be expanded to include the more knowledgeable high school students; Some of the enthusiasm of the younger students might "rub off" on the high school students; Graduates of the school would have access to Saskatchewan scholarships. Copies of the report, Toward the Future: Meeting the Needs of Creighton Community School Students, are available for pick up at the Creighton School Division office in Creighton Community School. The report incorporated the input of 17 staff members of the Creighton School Division, including teachers, trustees and administrators.
