Enrolment on the decline in rural Alberta schools

Two years after parents in a rural Alberta community fought to keep their childrens’ school open. Now, those same parents have made a move that has ultimately closed Strome School.

The rural Village of Strome is located about 150 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. Student population has dropped 27 percent over the past two years, and as a result, the Battle River School Division was talking about combining grades.

“When they started talking four or five grades together in a classroom, I couldn’t see my children sitting there doing that,” explained parent Brad Mohler adding, “It’s not an education that should be even considered.”

Late last month, a group of parents made the decision to pull all of their kids from the school in a single day. Although it is not officially closed, Strome School is locked up and all 51 students and staff have moved elsewhere, most of which have gone to nearby Daysland School.

Two years ago, the board put three schools in the are up for closure- Lougheed, Rosalind, and Strome Schools. Parents fought the closure, and the decision was made to keep Strome School open. Parents say that fight made the decision to move their kids that much harder, but felt they had no choice.

“Obviously the school division doesn’t have the will to fund these rural schools properly,” said Mohler.

The school division says rural education has changed, because enrolment has dropped.

“We’re facing significant challenges. Battle River has, since our regionalization over 15 years ago, we have continued to have declining enrolment,” explained Battle River School Division Superintendent Larry Payne.

School officials say enrolment in schools across rural Alberta is becoming more of an issue.

“I think, overall, it’s a rural issue and it’s not just here, although it’s really accented in eastern Alberta,” said School Board Chair Doug Bowie adding, “We have a problem. Our farms are getting bigger and our families are getting smaller and I don’t think there’s any remedy for that at this time.”

Bowie says it’s too bad, because rural Alberta is a great place to be. Parents agree with that but, expect they’ll have further battles to fight because they say the closure is a sign of a vanishing rural Alberta.

“The school is more than just a place to educate our children,” Mohler said adding, “Some people have said that the school is the last stroke for these small towns.”

The other two schools the board voted to save have also seen a decline in enrolment. In the last two years, Lougheed School went from 61 students to 47. Rosalind School dropped from 52 students to 45.

With files from Fletcher Kent.