Whitbourne parents elated as school spared from closure

Dozens of parents and supporters erupted with joy Wednesday night as trustees with the Eastern School District voted to keep Whitbourne Elementary open.

The school had been one of a series of rural schools marked for closure last year, and is the latest to be spared in reversals.

At a meeting in St. John's, trustees voted to confirm the closure of Epiphany Elementary in Heart's Delight-Islingtonthe only one of the five schoolsin last fall's announcementwhere a closure will be executed.

Parents at Whitbourne Elementary fought the original decision vigorously, including a challenge at the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador that was halted when the board agreed to take another look at the decision to close.

"Everybody put up a big fight and it was worth it," said Christina Dobbin, who has two children at the school. "It paid off."

Parents and community leaders argued that the population of the Whitbourne area has been stable if not growing, and the school is viable.

In a secret ballot, trustees decided to keep the school open.

Trustee Jim Hearn said he voted against closing Whitbourne Elementary both times, and that he doesn't believe the threat of a lawsuit influenced the outcome of Wednesday night's vote.

"No, I don't think that had anything to do with it," he said.

The decision is one of the last that the trustees will make. The Eastern School District will soon be dissolved and merged with other English-language boards in the province.

The board hadearlier decided to reverse closure decisionsaffecting schools in Catalina, Colliers and Swift Current.