RRHS to stay open

Despite a loss of up 30 students over the past several years, and with an estimated six more gone next year, rumours that Rainy River High School may close are not true, the director of education for the local public school board said. Education director Warren Hoshizaki.
“I think every year [residents are] concerned with what is going to happen,” noted Warren Hoshizaki. “However, we do get small school grants every year, and we spend it to keep schools like Rainy River High School open.”
Declining enrolment also will have little effect on courses now offered there, said principal Don McBride, who added he feels the school has been meeting students’ needs.
“We try to offer courses that students show interest in as well as those we feel will help them in the working world or university,” he said.
“The programming hasn’t changed in the past two years, and we’re always working to make sure it stays that way,” echoed Hoshizaki.
And given the 2000-2001 budget has been worked out, as was presented at its June 13 meeting, Hoshizaki said the board has a good grasp of its financial situation for the near future.
“There’s nothing from the board’s point-of-view that has indicated this school would need to be closed,” he remarked.
Hoshizaki noted while smaller schools across the province have been closed in the past year, schools boards in this region have been able to persevere.
“All directors in Northwestern Ontario have spoken to the ministry to explain to them that you can’t just throw students on a bus for an hour or two and have them go to another school,” he said. “It might work in the big city but not here.”
“The board has made it clear they want to keep this school going, and make secondary education readily available to students in the west end of the district,” agreed McBride.
Still, Hoshizaki conceded that sometime down the road, the situation may not be so problem-free. “You never know what will happen with funding,” he warned.
In related news, RRHS teachers Keith Ailey, Joanne Wright, and Kelly Smith are leaving this month but McBride noted the board already is looking to replace them, maintaining the number of teachers there at 14.