Bridgetown, Lawrencetown address schools issue

By Lawrence Powell

The Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

Bridgetown council has struck a task force to look into the future use of schools in the town after the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board presented their findings of a review of projected elementary school enrollments last week.

Bridgetown CAO John Langmead said council formed to task force Monday at the regular council session. Its job will be to identify stakeholders in the school facilities review issue. Stakeholders would be contacted and it is council’s hope that meetings could lead to a concerted, united effort to come up with solutions to keep Bridgetown Regional Elementary School open.

AVRSB figures show a drastic drop in enrollment in the next six years and wants municipalities, school advisory councils, and individuals to come up with options to help keep schools open in Annapolis County.

The task force is made up of deputy mayor John Smith and councilors Dick Campbell, Dennis Kingston, Langmead, and community development coordinator Steve Raftery. Mayor Art Marshall is an ex officio member.

Langmead said the province has mandated four pillars of community planning with education being an integral part. The plan must be in place to access gas tax rebates.

“So it’s important for council to provide a sustainable plan,” said Langmead. “It’s important for Bridgetown to work with the community to come up with a plan.”

Langmead said the task force could be absorbed by some other community group as efforts to address the situation intensify.

“It could be part of a community focus group or community task force,” he said. “We just need to get started on it and see how it evolves.”

In Lawrencetown Monday evening, village commission chair Troy Emmett struck a commission subcommittee to start the ball rolling in regards to Lawrencetown Consolidated School. He also suggested that the commission would hold at least one public meeting inviting residents to offer their ideas. He said Lawrencetown would also work closely with the school’s SAC.

AVRSB held a public meeting at Lawrencetown Consolidated School on June 2. Superintendent Norm Dray and finance director Stuart Jamieson presented a report that projects school enrollment at Bridgetown to drop from 176 to 115 in six years. The drop at Lawrencetown would be from 209 to 134.

Ideas to keep schools open include leasing space to businesses, day cares, libraries, seniors’ programs, and health programs.