The Sunrise School Division is planning a radical reshaping of the schools in Weyburn and area, including proposing the closure of up to five schools, with the first public disclosure of the information to be at a public meeting on Wednesday, March 9.

The Review obtained a copy of the "recommended option", one of six which were developed following a facilities review conducted for the Sunrise board of education, held primarily to look into the best option for Haig School, whether to renovate the aging structure, replace it or close it.

Under the option designated as 1C, Haig and Souris Schools are to be closed, the Weyburn Junior High is to be moved into the Weyburn Comprehensive School, and the junior high is to house the elementary students from Haig and Souris.

In addition, Lang and Milestone Elementary schools are to be closed with the students to then be housed at Milestone High School, while Pangman School is to close, with the students to attend Ogema, which will become a K-12 school.

The only schools to remain as they are would be Assiniboia Park Elementary and Yellow Grass School.

The Review had requested a copy of the facilities review and the recommendations before, but were told this wouldn't be released to the public yet. The information has been shared with the board's teaching staff, and is to be shared at the public meeting on March 9 in the Comp Cafetorium, starting at 7 p.m. Those attending the meeting will be asked to indicate to the board which option they prefer, all of which involve a reduction of space of some sort.

With another, larger amalgamation to occur on Jan. 1, 2006 for the entire southeast area, including the South Central School Division, it is unclear how or if any of those schools would be affected (such as Queen Elizabeth, Midale, Griffin and Fillmore schools), or whether these closures will still proceed given the new board will take over at the end of the year.

Under option 1C, the existing total area of 40,067 square metres would be reduced by 8,599 square metres. The reduction in operating dollars is estimated to be $421,007, with an estimated capital cost for renovations of $3.1 million, of which the board's share would be just over $1 million.

The rationale for going with option 1C includes that it is the "most operating cost-effective", would have the second lowest capital expenditure, and that "cost savings annually can be put back into programming and students rather than spent on buildings we don't need."

The three options grouped under Number 1 (and details were only provided for this one, 1C) "may be the only option that allows us to access government funds at all", claims the board. No details for the three options under Number 2 were provided.

Factors which emerged from the facilities review include that enrolment has been dropping in the Sunrise School Division area, with a 33 per cent decline over the last 15 years.

According to Department criteria, the Comp school has enough space to handle Grades 7-12. Part of the extra square footage, however, is due to non-classroom space, including wide hallways, and extra space in both the library and gymnasium.

The board claims that there is an opportunity now for capital funding at 70 per cent, which may be reduced after January of 2006, and that the dollars required to carry the option out could be recouped in four years' time.

If the board proceeds with the 1C option, the Comp's population is projected to mushroom to 744 by 2008, with about $2 million in renovations expected in order to accommodate the junior high grades. The former junior high, the new K-6 elementary school, would have a population of 360, with renovations estimated at $228,860. The board says this population is the same that was at Haig School 10 years ago.

Ogema, as a K-12 school, is projected to have a population of 123, with no monies for renovations needed. Milestone High, meanwhile, will have a K-12 population of 167, with $846,000 in renovations expected.

Yellow Grass is projected to have a student population of 104 in 2008, while Assiniboia Park is projected to have 158 students.