Northern Bruce Peninsula is a rural community with a unique geography that is our greatest asset, and at the same time, one of our most challenging features. At the northern tip lies Tobermory, a picturesque village that is a buzzing hive of activity during the summer and sparsely populated in the winter. There are two school facilities in the municipality: St. Edmund’s Public School, a JK-4 school in Tobermory; and Bruce Peninsula District School, a JK-12 school in the village of Lion’s Head. On one hand, the number of students is quite small; while on the other, the next nearest schools involve painfully long bus rides for some.
Given these geographic realities, what would be the best educational opportunities and support for the students and adults in the community? That is what we have set out to explore.
Because of the small number of students in our schools, residents have felt under the threat of school closures for many years. The community has a history of contributing to solutions to support their schools. In 2014, a citizens' group, the Peninsula Action Committee for Education (PACE), was formed to be proactive in seeking out creative solutions for education that meets the needs of our municipality. PACE partnered with the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula to undertake this community project.
We are now completing two community surveys – one for permanent and seasonal residents, and one for former students. We conducted the surveys during the summer because our population more than doubles then. Our next step will be to conduct focus groups and in-depth interviews to round out the picture of our local needs. The Premier's Advisory Council on Community Hubs will convene a local event to explore this information.
We know that the issue of schools in rural and remote areas is complex. Our goal is not arrival at a particular solution, but rather to use a growth mindset to the issue. What are the issues and strengths of the schools, and of the community? How can we use our strengths to create solutions for the issues? What levels of government can support creative new ways of looking at viable education that does not necessitate children spending hours a day on a bus? What kind of education supports the economic viability of our community?
We hope to explore a way forward for our community and other rural communities looking at viable rural education, and sharing lessons learned. We are assisted in our efforts by Dr. Bill Irwin of Huron University.
Source: ROI