Eastern P.E.I. begins work on bid to save 2 schools facing closure

People in eastern P.E.I. are already trying to figure out ways to escape the recommended closures of schools in Georgetown and Belfast. 

Georgetown Elementary and Belfast Consolidated were two of the five schools recommended for closure by the P.E.I. Public Schools Branch. There is a 60-day window for another round of public consultation, and the two communities are wasting no time in defending their schools.

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A public meeting will be held at Belfast Consolidated on Thursday night to brainstorm ideas about how to save the school, which is operating at only 33 per cent capacity.

Marcella Ryan, president of the home and school association, said she remains hopeful.

'The school means a lot to us'

"Well we can certainly give it a good try," she said. "The school means a lot to us. It means a lot to our community, as all schools do in rural communities." 

Parents there will have an ally in Georgetown, which is in the same Montague family of schools.

Georgetown Mayor Lewis Lavandier said he's offering to work with other affected groups and schools to "try to put a case together" to keep the schools open.

Residents of Georgetown have been down this road before, rallying eight years ago to save the school when it was faced with closure. 

Adverse effects

Lavandier said when a school closes it "takes a big chunk out" of the community.

"It's more than just disrupting the students," he said. "It's affecting your businesses. It's affecting people that might want to move here. So many areas you [need] to look at that it's going to negatively affect."

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Mallory Peters, president of the local home and school association, said people in the community had been hopeful, despite the school operating at 28 per cent capacity.

"I know a lot of people are quite upset," she said. "I had to break the news to my five-year-old this morning. He was not very happy."

If the two schools close, then Cardigan, Southern Kings, and Vernon River consolidated schools should see their numbers rise.

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