Save Hart Learning Centre

By 250 News

Carrying placards that read "Learning is a choice, choose the Hart Learning Centre"  students and some staff of the Hart Learning Centre pressed the Board  for School District 57 to rescind a decision to close the Hart Learning Centre. 

One by one they stood before the Board to say  they  chose to continue their education at the  Hart Learning Centre because  it is close to home  and provides  a learning opportunity where students who dropped out of the regular system, suddenly thrive.

The Hart Learning Centre, along with similar facilities in College Heights, McBride and Valemount, are slated for closure at the end of the current school year because of financial concerns.  Enrollment at the centres is down which means funding is reduced.  Learning Centre teacher, David Metcalf asked the Board to find a way to keep the Centre  open.  He presented a petitition with over 700 names calling for the Learning Centre to remain open along with letters from students who say they will not likely continue their studies downtown if the Hart facility is closed. 

Distance is one reason why some would "walk away". One student who is a single mom says it takes her 20 minutes to get downtown another 20 minutes to get home, that adds up to 40 minutes which is time she simply can't afford.  There is also a problem with winter roads,  and there are concerns about the extra cost for gas.

One emotional student talked how she was ready to drop out of school in grade ten but was encouraged to go to the Hart Learning Centre, where she got her grade 12, she is now working towards a law degree.  Through tears, she  told the Board how the staff  helped her, "I worry about where I would be if it hadn't been for the Hart Learning Centre."

Superintendant Dick Chambers commended those who took the time to attend the meeting and pointed out the DIstrict ia eperiencing a drastic decrease in adult enrollment. one year ago there were 419 full time equivalent.  Over the winter,  the District lost funding for 37 students after a full audit of the Continuing Education revealed there were things they shoudlhave been doing they weren't.  Chambers says  the improved economy may be having an impact, but  it looks like there may only be 183 students next year, which means they will lose about $800 thousand dollars.  Combined with the funding lost over the winter, Chambers says  the Board has lost nearly 1 million dollars in funding. 

The loss in funding means the loss of  8.5 teaching positions, and the closure of the learning centres on the Hart, College Heights, Mackenzie, valemount and McBride.  He and the Teasurer are hoping to meet and look at it one more time.  "I don't want to hold out a ray of hope, maybe there's an alternative we can bring to the Board, but I don't want to get your hopes up."

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