Morell community stresses importance of rural schools

About 200 people gathered at Morell Regional High School Wednesday night to defend their rural schools, as a review of schools on P.E.I. continued.

The reviewstarted in late September with the release of data about school usage in the province: which ones were overcrowded and which under-utilized. The Morell family of schools has the lowest utilization rates on the Island.

• Morell parents mostly quiet at school review

Most of the speakers at Wednesday's meeting argued their rural schools are important, and students shouldn't be displaced.

The meeting started half an hour earlier than originally planned, in orderto fit in all the scheduled presentations from community members.

'Short end of the stick'

Reoccurring ideas throughout the nine presentations were to bring Grades 7 to 8 toMorellRegional High School,adding French immersion in the schools, and extending the school zones to bring students from overcrowded schools into the Morell family,with more enforcement of the current zones.

Nathan Jay, regional director of theMorellHome and School Federation, suggestedboth Mt. Stewartand Morell Consolidated schools which are now K-8 should instead be K-6. He also suggested both schools should incorporate earlylearning centres into their buildings.

"And the high school would have 7-12, with one of the elementaries with a French immersion aspect, to possibly head off parents trying to keep their children in other zones," saidJay.

After the scheduled presentations, the floor was then opened to anyone who had reactions to the ideas they heard, or comments.

Michelle Gouthrohas four children in the family of schools. She said the three schools should stay.

"As rural parents and communities, we get the short end of the stick a lot," she said.

"I'm not here to make it a rural versus urban kind of thingbut I also feel it is our right, as people who choose to live in a rural setting,our children are afforded that."

Students also concerned

In addition to parents, staff and community members, students made their voices heard as well.

Brendon Bradley is a grade nine student at Morell Regional High. He said moving students would negatively affect them.

"I was in grade one in St.Teresa's when it closed, and we were promised all this great stuff. I came into Morell Consolidated and there's nothing better than those teachers and those students and all the stuff we received," he said.

"Now here I am in grade nine and there's talk of schools closing again ...We've already built relationships among our peers and now they're going to be destroyedPeople are vulnerable at this age because their life revolves around their friends and I think they need their friends through their high school career."

Other speakers touched on the negative impact that more time on school buses would have on children, and how it would take away their ability to have after-school jobs or participate inextra-curricular activities.

Still time for input

Anyone in the community who would still like to present their ideas, concerns or comments has until the end of the month.

The next consultation meeting will focus on theColonel Gray family of schools, Thursday, 7 p.m.atColonel Gray High School.

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