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The Tofield
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Wednesday February 12, 2020 Vol. 102 Issue 24
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Tofield’s Vanita Eglauer recognized for 30 years of service
Tofield to host CFCW Critters in March for the first time
Tofield Firemen’s Ball raises more than $6k for Stollery
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Holden expresses anger as school set for closure – Ryley School to operate as K-9 Patricia Harcourt Staff Reporter
Holden parents expressed anger after hearing at a meeting Monday night that the school board is proposing the closure of their elementary school. The meeting was fairly calm until Battle River School Division’s Director of Facilities Percy Roberts discussed utilization rates at the schools in Holden and Ryley. Ryley could hold 313 students but is only utilizing 35 per cent of that capacity with 108 students currently enrolled. Holden has a net capacity for 585 students but with only 265 students, it's only using 45 per cent of its capacity. Roberts said the schools “are both well
maintained, based on building condition, facility reports and resources available along with the programming needs of students.” But the announcement that the school at Holden was the one BRSD recommended to close drew an audible gasp: “It is our recommendation that, if Holden and Ryley schools are consolidated into one K-9 (kindergarten to Grade 9) school site, the site selected would be Ryley School,” he said. Roberts then said anyone with a question could write it down on a slip of paper to be answered later, but it was obvious people wanted more direct communication. The format was set by the school board and wasn’t supposed to in-
volve direct questions from the crowd. Instead, they were to write questions on a slip of paper and have a BRSD official respond at an appropriate time in the discussion. However, people started getting angry when there was no avenue to question the official responding, or pose a follow up question. The school board plans to vote on the recommendation at the March 19 meeting. The proposal they are considering would close down the senior high at Ryley and disperse these students to schools in Tofield to the west and Viking to the east. The Ryley School would then remain open and serve as an elementary/junior high school (K-9). Continued on Page 2
TOP: Kids and parents were anxious to talk to BRSD board chair Norm Erickson (left front) about the implications of the board’s proposal to close Holden School and keep Ryley as a K-9 school. BOTTOM: Some of the officials and trustees at the Battle River School Division table prior to the meeting at the Holden School gymnasium to discuss the future of Holden and Ryley schools. PATRICIA HARCOURT PHOTOS