The Town of McLennan is reeling after a decision by Holy Family Catholic Regional Divison (HFCRD) to permanently close the doors of École Providence at the end of this school year in June.
Holy Family’s decision was made at its board meeting on April 14, where trustees say careful consideration of long-term enrolment trends, school sustain- ability, and the responsible stewardship of Division resources were analyzed.
In a news release issued after the decision, Holy Family says the board remains committed to ensuring all students continue to receive a high-quality Catholic education in a supportive and nurturing environment.
“We recognize that École Providence has been an important part of the McLennan community for many years,” said Holy Family board chair Kelly Whalen.
“This was not an easy decision. We are grateful for the contributions of staff, families, the parish, and the broader community who have made the school such a special place.”
A public meeting was held March 12 in McLennan to discuss the future of the school with the public. School enrolment was only 32 students in September, putting the school at risk for a significant drop in funding from the Alberta government.
École Providence will have a deficit of over $700,000 this educational year and it has faced significant deficits over the last three years due to low enrolment.
Town of McLennan Mayor Jason Doris says council is concerned about the lack of early communication about the school’s fate.
“The Town of McLennan is disappointed that Holy Family Catholic Regional Division has voted in favour of the permanent closure of École Providence School,” says Doris.
“Council was not made aware that closure was under consideration until receiving formal notice of the motion for closure on Feb. 18. Prior to that date, no indication had been given that the school’s future was at risk.”
Doris says council feels the 21-day public feedback period from the public meeting on March 12 to the final decision on April 14 was not sufficient. He adds members of the public voiced their concerns about surrounding communities not having access to busing to the Catholic school, to which he says the Division stated it had no written record of such requests being formally submitted in recent years.
Doris continues to say that the Town wrote a letter on March 16 to request additional information from the Division regarding challenges it faced and asking how the municipality could assist. He says no response was received.
“Town representatives were present for the April 14 board meeting as a delegation along with three parents of students currently enrolled at the school,” says Doris.
“We presented various suggestions and the parents provided success stories in hopes to convince the board to continue operation of the school. I was surprised when the board advised us they would be having a closed session discussion regarding the closure, citing it was a sensitive topic. I felt that a closed session was unnecessary and that the parents deserved to be present for those discussions.”
In its news release, Holy Family notes administration will work closely with families to support a smooth transition for students to alternate schools within the Division.
They say efforts will be made to minimize disruption while maintaining continuity in students’ academic progress and faith-based learning.
Doris says the decision is devastating for McLennan.
“We feel that the school division had very little interest to work with our community to extend the life of École Providence,” Doris notes.
“The only consultation was to discuss closure. No solutions, suggestions, or possible opportunities of any sort were explored. Closing the school takes away an option of Catholic education in our region. To say we are frustrated is an understatement.
“The Town recognizes the significant impact this decision will have on students, families, and our community,” concludes Doris.
“We will continue to advocate on behalf of our residents and seek clarity on the next steps and supports available moving forward. The Town of McLennan remains committed to supporting affected families and will continue to engage with the Division to better understand the transition process.”
École Providence will officially close its doors at the end of the school year in June.
Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter