For now the idea of an alternative education centre is just an idea, but it's an idea which may have some merit.

Weyburn Public School Division No. 97 education director Jan Chell says an alternative education centre would be a place for older junior high school students to attend school if they were too old to continue in attendance at the junior high level but lacked the requirements for high school. The second objective would be to meet the needs of a student who simply "doesn't fit the mold of regular school for whatever reason - difficulty relating to peers or sitting in a classroom.

"The courses are individualized and developed to meet the needs of the student with a much smaller student-teacher ratio," she said.

Estevan has a ranch house which currently serves as its alternative high school, set within the countryside. Regina also has its storefront program which serves the same purpose as the Estevan ranch house and Lloydminster has a similar program in place being housed out of an old mall.

Through her initial research into the subject, Chell says the Comp would probably not be the ideal location for such a program.

Once Chell is done her research an informal proposal will be presented to the division board at budget time. Some funding for the project is available through the Department of Education for rental dollars and other funding is available for students with behavioural needs, but Chell adds there will likely still be some need for investment by the board if the idea is approved.

"For now, it's just an idea," said Chell.

If the board approves the initiative the best-case scenario would be to have an alternative education centre in place by the fall of 2000.

Minister of Education Jim Melenchuk plans to visit the Weyburn Comprehensive School on Thursday, Jan. 27, from 3-5 p.m., followed by an open public consultation concerning the issue of assisting students and families in funding post-secondary education.

As a result of the lacklustre response to the NDP's provincial election promise to pay for first-year post-secondary tuition, the current coalition government has decided to set up a series of public consultations where they will gather public opinion on the topic of assisting parents with adult-aged post-secondary students.

Chell said while Melenchuk is here he will visit the Comp School and be taken on a tour of the regional college integration project - shown Phase 1 and informed on Phase 2 of the project. He will also be told about the Performing Arts Centre and told about the alternative high school idea. The idea of presenting a brief to Melenchuk on Weyburn No. 97's funding concerns was ruled out however by Chell, who said it would be inappropriate for the public school board to bend the minister's ear on funding issues while he is in Weyburn on what amounts to a fact-finding mission.