Future of Ryley and Holden schools hang in balance, BRSD to host public meeting on Feb. 10
Battle River School Division (BRSD) Board passed several motions on Jan. 23 that will start a process to consider closure and consolidation of schools in Ryley, Holden, Round Hill, and Hardisty.
At the moment junior/senior high school students from Holden and area are bused to Ryley, a Grade 7-12 school, and elementary students from Ryley attend the Grade 1-6 school at Holden.
The board is considering relocating the Grade 10-12 students at Ryley but haven’t specified where they would go.
The Grade 1-9 students at both schools would then be consolidated on one school site, which potentially could be either at Holden or Ryley. The board did not state which school would be chosen for that purpose and which would be closed.
However, BRSD’s Director of Communications Diane Hutchinson provided some clarification.
“It means the board is considering consolidating Holden and Ryley into one K to 9 site, but they have not yet determined which site it would be,” she said. “Now that the idea has been brought forward for consideration, there will be a review of information about each of the Holden and Ryley school sites – building condition, lie expectancy for infrastructure (roof, boilers, etc.) – that will help determine which would be the better choice.”
For most parents this means a looming uncertainty, which affects much more than just the school communities, said Lind Hunt, a Ryley parent who has two children attending the Ryley School.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to be in limbo till the board decides what to do, because tied in with the decision is not only how to arrange for transportation and other details, but our kids’ activities,” Hunt explained. “It is a burden to the parents in the community, especially those who have younger ones and who rely on their older kids for babysitting; the decision will impact both Ryley and Holden communities economically too.” . . . contd.
