A meeting about the potential reconfiguration of Lac la Hache Elementary School had some heartfelt messages and powerful points put forward to school board trustees and staff on March 10.
• This would be a "terrible" move for families with several children at the school.
• It's a different thing when older siblings move on to high school.
• Without the Grades 4-7 students, who will mentor the primary students?
• Bullying is not a problem at Lac la Hache, but it is at larger schools
• The community has lots to offer students with an ice rink, provincial park, ball fields and a lake.
• The projected savings of $174,000 is not a lot of money nowadays.
• Lac la Hache is struggling to rebuild itself and needs the elementary school.
• The community will recover within a couple of years if left as it is.
• The community is optimistic about Prosperity Mines bringing in more families.
• The school brings a sense of belonging, lunch programs and clothing for students
• The school benefits from volunteers and parents who recently raised $20,000
• There are plenty of pre-school children still coming for more future students.
• Property values will drop if the school is reconfigured or closes as a result.
• We just bought a house nearby because of our baby and another is on the way.
• Some parents won't send their children to this school now, as its future is too unstable.
• Others have their choice of schools, but we are being given no choice to stay here.
• My child had trouble in classes, was pulled aside and helped in a personal approach.
• It's not fair; find your money somewhere else.
• If the space is leased to the civic library, how will you keep patrons away from students?
• There are lots of vulnerable children here who will have no security in a larger school.
• If you do this, all of our lives will change.