Calgary school board votes to shut down program focused on military studies

Juno Beach Academy, aCalgary school program with a focus on Canadian history and military studies, will shut down at the end of June.

School trustees with the Calgary Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday afternoon to close the school program.

Parents had been trying to boost enrolment for the past three years, but the numbers continued to slump with only five students each in Grades 10, 11and 12 this school year.

• Juno Beach Academy options offered to keep program going
• Parents consider the future of Juno Beach Academy

Juno Beach Academy opened in 2003 at Sir William Van HorneHigh School.

At that time, there were 112 students in Grades 7 to 9.

Three years later it moved to Lord Shaughnessy High School and enrolment grew to 182 students as the program expanded to Grade 12.

Enrolment peaked at 195 students in 2008 but steadily declined since then.

The program's core courses include military studies, Canadianhistory and Canadian geography.