A small, independent Saskatoon high school whose students include former drug dealers and gang members may soon close down, the school board’s director says.
The Community Learner’s High School board voted Jan. 10 to shut down the school if the Saskatchewan government does not commit funds for the 2018-19 year, according to a letter director Keith Jorgenson sent to Education Minister Bronwyn Eyre.
The school will shut down Feb. 10 without a funding commitment from the province, the letter reads.
Jorgenson said in a press release the school, attached to Pleasant Hill Bakery, has been operating for nearly 10 years. Though he acknowledged to CTV News this year’s enrolment numbers are low, his press release states between 10 and 40 students are typically enrolled.
Some students include former drug dealers and gang members.
“The school provides employment and education concurrently to a unique group of students with intensely complicated lives,” Jorgenson wrote in a press release. “Without access to a school like CLHS, students would not have finished school, would not have found jobs, would be dead or in jail and/or their kids would be in care.”
The province’s Ministry of Education said Thursday the school’s funding was pulled in June 2016 because of “declining enrollment, attendance and credit attainment issues.”
The statement did not explicitly state funding would not be returned to the school, but mentioned the Education Ministry will be available to help existing students find other school locations. Three students — one adult learner and two school-aged students — are registered with CLHS, according to the province.
“The Ministry is willing to help these students transition into other locations if they so choose,” the statement read, before noting provincial funding is not required for independent schools.
“While the operation of a registered independent school is a choice available to operators, government is not required to provide funding for this choice.”
The province noted in 2016, shortly after funding was cut, no graduate from the program had finished with a Grade 12 diploma, and said the funding was based on a proposal the school would serve high school-aged students.
Jorgenson clarified Thursday the 10 students who have so far graduated from the school finished with Adult 12 — not Grade 12 — diplomas.
He said the school has been forced to deplete its reserves since losing funding, and noted what he describes as an “addictions crisis” and “methamphetamine epidemic” in Saskatoon played a part in the school board’s decision to conditionally shut down.
