Parents in the small North Okanagan community of Ashton Creek met with school district officials Wednesday night in an effort to keep a 100-year-old school open, despite declining enrolment.
Ashton Creek is located just east of Enderby. When a new school opened in Enderby, enrolment at Ashton Creek Elementary dropped by one-third. Now, just 33 students attend the school.
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When the district announced it was considering closing the old school due to low enrolment, parents jumped into action fearing that closing the school would kill the community.
On Wednesday night, they got the chance to plead their case to district officials.
“I ask you all, what is a community without a school?,” one parent said. “Schools were built for the community and if this school closes, what will be left of ours?”
No final decision has been made on the future of Ashton Creek Elementary.
PAC president Diane Minaker says she is meeting with Education Minister George Abbott next month to discuss the style of learning that goes on at the school and the possibility of making Ashton Creek the poster school for small B.C. communities.
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