Morna Heights School up for possible closure again

The future of Morna Heights School in west Saint John is again under scrutiny.

The elementary school wasincluded in aproposal four years ago to merge with two aging schools in Grand Bay-Westfield Inglewood School, and Grand Bay Primary but a Save Our School group successfully lobbied to remove it from the plan.

Nowthe closures are being evaluated once again,and for the second time parents are fighting to keep Morna Heights open.

They made their case before the District Education Council Monday night at a public meeting about the merger proposal.

Christian Goldie attended the meeting. Hisson, Griffin, is in Grade 1 at Morna Heights.

"I know it's a great school. My son is achieving very well, we're very happy with his progress," Goldiesaid in an interview Tuesday onInformation Morning Saint John.

"It's discouraging to have to go through this process again while we understand there's infrastructure and things that need to be done in Grand Bay sooner than later, there's nothing wrong with Morna Heights School.You can easily make the argument the school is thriving, so why are we being subjected to this?"

Schools still open

The two Grand Bay-Westfield schools are still open, despite the vote in 2011 to shut them down.

Goldie suggestsit's better optics to add MornaHeights to the plan, even though enrolment is climbing at the Saint John school.

"If you're pushing to get a new school, if you can close three schools and save the money, it's more beneficial than closing down two," he said.

The provincialgovernment policy 409 includes so-called triggers than can launch a sustainability study if enrolment drops below 100 students or the functional capacity falls below 30 per cent.

Goldie says Morna Heights falls into neither category, but the DEC can look beyond those triggers if there'sa strong enough case to consolidatewith schools that do meet the criteria.

Goldiesays the area'scommunity would be affected if Morna Heights is closed.

"The school is utilized seven days a week, by various fitness groups, that not only use the gym, but also raise money for the school," he said.

"It shows the school is more than a building where kids come to learn, it's a cornerstone of the community. And that's why, understandably, a lot of parents and community members are passionate about keeping it open."

The DEC is holding a similarmeeting in Grand Bay-Westfield Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at River Valley Middle School.

The meeting is designed to give people an opportunity to say why InglewoodSchooland Grand Bay Primaryshould remain open.

Everyone is welcome to attend, but those wishing to make presentations needed to register beforehand.

Members of the DEC committee will review presentations over the next few weeks, and make an announcement about the fate of the schools in January or February.

If school closures are recommended, theprovince will have to approve the decision.

The location of the proposed merged school has not been established.

The latest review comes as a number of schools struggling with enrolmentwere closed this fall, including Lorne Middle School in Saint John and Brown's Flat Elementary.