Parents’ Speak Out On School Closure Plan, Trustees Silent

Terry Hanna and his son Griffin, 7, outside Webster Niblock Wednesday afternoon. (Photo Alex McCuaig)

The Medicine Hat School District trustees didn’t waste any time following the election before deciding to proceed on a process that could see two local schools shuttered

To be precise, it took a week-and-a-half following three newly elected public school trustees being sworn in along with two returning ones. That along with a board meeting featuring a multi-item agenda lasting 28 minutes including a recommendation from Superintendent Tracy Hensel to start the process to shutter Southview and Webster Niblock elementary schools.

Webster Niblock parent Terry Hanna said that’s not enough time to consider an issue that will impact parents.

“Not even close,” he said as he picked up his seven-year-old son Griffin Wednesday. “I think when you take a look at how many kids this is going to affect, how many lives this is going to affect, the teachers, the community, everything – to give it that type of consideration with that little community input is really sad.”

While news of the school closure process unfolding is new, according to the school district’s Nov. 6 release, it’s part of its evaluations of facilities in the district conducted earlier this year.

That evaluation resulted in a 3-year capital plan released in the spring that didn’t mention possible school closures outside of Alexandra Middle School.

The plan did highlight the district’s desire to embark on a more than $200 million building initiative. The capital plan outlines replacing the existing Crestwood, Vincent Massey, Elm Street schools while building a new one on 13th Avenue.

Crestwood and the new 13th Avenue schools would be K-9 schools. Alexandra Middle School students would be shifted to Crestwood, according to the capital plan.

But that plan doesn’t sit well with some Webster Niblock parents.

Megan Pronyshyn

Megan Pronyshyn has three children at Webster Niblock which she moved to the school from Crestwood as it was a better fit for her children which have complex needs.

“It’s been a world of difference. My six-year-old autistic son can be so challenging. The difference in the way they handle him here is so much more compassionate, caring,” she said. “How many six-year-olds can get mad and flip the bird at the teacher and she approaches it with grace and calm and you don’t get that at big schools.”

Pronyshyn also reiterated a common theme amongst parents at the school as well as Southview who are trying to understand the district’s rational considering the issues raised during the recent teachers’ strike.

“We just had a month long strike we had to fight for the support of teachers and the crowding of the classrooms and now they are going to close two community schools,” questioned Pronyshyn.

Fellow parent Loni Mierau said she is not happy about having to put her son who already is struggling a little bit in a new school for his final year of elementary. But she said one of the positives would be if the closure results in her child no longer being in a split grade class.

“I want to support my son the best I can. With him staying here being beneficial, I’m all for it,” she said. “But it sucks that sometimes a parent’s opinions don’t matter. . .The government is going to do what the government wants to do.”

For one of Medicine Hat’s newest families whose purchase of a home was based, at least partially, on being located near Webster Niblock, the decision to possibly close the school was disappointing.

“It’s super convenient, a nice little walk,” said Jennifer Hirsche who moved to the Hat from Winnipeg in August.

Signs posted last week outside Webster Niblock. (Photo submitted by Amanda Campbell)

As for her comment to trustees, “just think about the kids. My kids really love the teachers and so think about the kids’ feelings.”

Repeated requests for comment from school board chair Catherine Wilson weren’t responded to until last week.

She made it clear she won’t be providing comment to the Medicine Hat Owl.

During the school district’s Tuesday meeting, no other trustee was willing to comment on questions about proceeding with the process to begin school closures based on a meeting lasting less than 30 minutes held two weeks after election day.

The Owl was also informed by Wilson this organization can’t audio or video record open board meetings of elected trustees without her permission.

Tuesday’s meeting featured a financial update which the Owl had planned to broadcast.

That update highlighted the board is running a nearly $1 million deficit in their operating budget.

No other news media were present.

The school board will be holding consultation meetings on the proposed school closures next week with Southview’s being held on Dec. 3 followed by Webster Niblock’s on Dec. 4.

The Owl has requested in writing to Wilson the ability able to cover the meetings.