The Prairie Valley School Division Board of Education is seeking public input into the review of the viability of eleven schools in the Prairie Valley School Division. The Board offers various ways of doing this between now and March 2, 2007.

“The Board of Education realizes that its prime responsibility is to ensure that our students receive the highest quality education and meaningful learning experiences possible in our school division,” stated Rod Luhning, the chair of the Prairie Valley School Division board of Education. “We want to assist students in developing their full potential. We want to ensure that our educational program and services prepare them for the world beyond grade 12. To do this, we need to maintain viable schools and classrooms within the context of the entire school division.”

The Board is launching a public participation process to gather input into this review. Interested members of the public can participate by:

· Attending the public consultation meeting in their communities;
· Completing the school division survey online at www.pvsd.ca/survey;
· Completing a paper copy of the survey available online, at the neighbourhood school or at the public meeting in the community
· Writing a letter or e-mail to the Prairie Valley Board of Education; and/or,
· Presenting to the Board of Education at a special delegations meeting.

It is important for all stakeholders in our communities to have a voice in this process. Feedback from this process will assist the Board in making the final decision regarding these schools.

The public consultation meetings are taking place from Jan. 16 to Feb. 5 in the various affected communities.

They are scheduled as follows:

Jan. 16 in Lang Town Hall;
Jan. 17 in McLean school Gymnasium;
Jan. 18 at the Gray Town Hall;
Jan. 22 in the Odessa School Gymnasium;
Jan. 23 in the Wilcox School Gymnasium;
Jan.24 at Sedley Gym Hall;
Jan. 29 (Monday) in the Kennedy School Gymnasium;
Jan. 30 (Tuesday) at Glenavon School Gymnasium;
Jan. 31 in Earl Grey School Gym;
Feb. 1 in Francis Town Hall, and
Feb. 5 at the Kronau Town Hall.
All meetings are to begin at 7:00pm.

Jan Chell, the Director of Education for the Prairie Valley School Division, believes “quality education services are first and foremost in the minds of our school division, our parents and our community. We want our children to learn, to grow and to succeed. Our entire community has a stake and a responsibility in bringing this to fruition.”

The Prairie Valley School Division serves over 8,000 students in 46 schools throughout southeastern Saskatchewan. It is dedicated to provide leadership in learning and in life so that its students are successful now and are well prepared for their future. It endeavours to provide high quality education services in a fiscally responsible manner, the press release announcing the meeting says.