Dunster Fine Arts elementary school is facing closure and Grade 7 students in Valemount could be moved to the Valemount Secondary School as part of a proposal that will allow the British Columbia School district No. 57 to cut millions of dollars from its budget.

“This is about cutting $7 million for the year and consequential money in the coming years,” said Valemount Secondary School (VSS) principal Dan Kenkel.

A special meeting was called in Valemount on Jan. 25 to discuss the proposal with the community, and dispel rumours that one of the Valemount schools would shut its doors.

About 50 community members listened at VSS as Kenkel and Valemount Elementary School (VES) principal Priscilla Soucy presented the findings of the school board’s district sustainability committee report, which recommends cutting $7 million through 14 school closures, school boundary reconfigurations, increased class sizes and administrative and support staff cuts. The report was scheduled to come before the school board on Jan. 26 for acceptance, where the trustees are expected to receive the report. A decision on school closures isn’t expected until March 30, as nothing has yet been approved.

The $7 million shortfall was caused by a number of factors, Kenkel said, including declining enrolment, cuts to grant funding and increased expenses in the form of a green plan and health benefits.

The proposal to move Grade 7 students to VSS brought out many parents who opposed the idea. By moving Grade 7 students to VSS, the board is expecting to save money by lowering the cost per student ratio at the high school, helping the school cope with declining enrolment.

Enrolment at VES has dropped considerably, as the school is only at 64 per cent capacity. Currently, 126 students attend the school, however that number is projected to drop to 88 by 2014. VSS enrolment sits at 89, and is expected to drop to 83 by 2014.

“We’re losing students very rapidly. Most schools don’t experience this sort of decline in this amount of time,” Soucy said.

Declining enrolment results in higher costs to educate students. At VSS, it costs on average $12,005 a year to educate a student, making it one of the most expensive in the board. Provincial base funding covers about $5,500 of that amount. The school board has lost 1,900 students in the past five years.

“VSS is an expensive school to run. It needs teachers with diverse expertise and a wide variety of staff... it makes sense if we crowd the expensive place,” Kenkel said. “VSS is the most expensive school to run in the district. That’s a tough place to be.”

There are logistical problems with running the Grade 7 class in VSS, Kenkel said. There isn’t enough space, so a classroom would have to be set up elsewhere or a portable would be used.

“It’s uncomfortable and a position we don’t want,” Kenkel said.

“We don’t want the Grade 7 class to come over unless they absolutely have to,” Soucy said.

Mayor Bob Smith said there are reasons numbers are declining, such as the closure of the lumber operation - the town’s largest employer. However he stressed the community is working hard to grow through a new focus on business retention and expansion. He also spoke with Saas-Fee developers last month, who assured him the proposed casino project was still going ahead.

Smith also told the audience to avoid spreading rumours and speculation, as that could affect business.

“We almost lost a business from Edmonton over rumours the school was going to close,” Smith said.

Kenkel also said rural schools have been hit harder by declining enrolment, as families continue to move to the city to find work, and the lumber industry continues to close mills.

About 27 students currently attend school in Dunster. Those students would be divided between McBride and Valemount if the school closes, where they would be absorbed into the regular arts curriculum. Soucy said based on current boundaries, about 11 Dunster students would be bused to Valemount.

The Dunster school transformed itself into a fine arts school in 1998 in order to stave off closure. It costs $14,744 to educate one student in Dunster - more than double the board average.

Kenkel said the schools have sharing agreements within the community, which generates extra revenue. The gymnasium and theatre are used often in the community, which does generate extra revenue for the school. However he said it’s not enough.

Claudia Frost has two children attending school in Valemount. She’s concerned about how the cuts will affect education in Valemount.

“We’re all concerned in the community. I’m more concerned about program and teacher cuts, and potentially more three-way split classes,” Frost said.

She’s encouraging parents to write to their MLA to complain about the budget cuts.

School board designate Valentine Crawford was not in attendance.