What Matters to You – The Heart of the Community: Our Local Schools Are Special Places Worth Saving

Small Rural Schools

Growing up, I went to a small rural school with just over 350 students from kindergarten to grade 12.  The school had an elementary section and a Jr./Sr. High section.  There was a renovation when I was in Grade 6, and what stood out the most to me was the new gymnasium. I knew if I worked hard, I’d be able to wear the team colors and represent my school on the court in basketball and volleyball, just like my parents.

Farm Kids – Sports Team

Our sports teams growing up were solid; we were a 1A school, and within our school division, we played 2A and 3A schools, and we won way more games than we lost.  It was the same bunch of farm kids working hard together as a team; we’d all grown up together and could depend on each other.  Our school always had less funding than others; we learned to make do with less; it was just the way it was.  Ours was one of the largest classes, with 31 students if I remember correctly, and we were one of the last large classes they had.

Gymnasium – The Community Hub

That little school gymnasium is where most of the significant community events took place, where we had the Christmas concerts, where we had spectators of all ages come out and watch us play, and where we also said our final goodbyes to several community members.  That little school had a skating rink, swimming pool and library, all shared with the community.  That little school was, in so many ways, the heart of the community.

As the MLA in our area, I, unfortunately, attended the discussion for a school closure over in Seba Beach.  Before adulthood, the last time I was in that gymnasium was just a kid on the high school basketball team playing in a tournament. That gym and that school had seemed so big to me.  As an adult, the Seba Beach school gymnasium, like my own home gymnasium in Niton Junction, had mysteriously shrunk in size.  What once looked so big to me had somehow become so small, but recognizing what these schools mean to their communities, and the surrounding area had never been so apparent.

I Felt Supported

I could only be this effective because of the party I belong to; they want strong MLAs and will listen to any good idea and act upon it when appropriate.

As my term as the MLA representing over 46,000 people in the 30^th Alberta Legislature sitting is coming to a close, it was a good time to be a little more reflective. Some events have taken place that no one would have expected or been fully prepared for. You simply do your best with whatever information you have at your disposal at the time and soldier on. As a person whose whole career was based on major projects, this is not so dissimilar. There are short-term objectives that need to be met, and there will always be a ton of issues that arise, possibly setting you off course, but you must react and get the job done… always ahead of schedule and under budget.

Global View

When I look at the school as the MLA, it’s not just from an education standpoint but from an economic perspective that goes outside the line of sight that the school division may have.  I look at not only the emotional attachment, the history, and the school pride, as it were, but the impact on the community and the region.  If a community is to remain viable, a school is high on the list of priorities.  In addition, if the last couple of years has taught us anything, education delivery is far more flexible. We have access to online learning through digital resources, mitigating the need for extended bussing time or pooling into the larger centers.  In short, we don’t need to hollow out our communities because we have a narrow view of a ledger sheet.

Equally, when faced with decision-making, there is no reason to try and throw those who were not invited to be in the room under the bus regarding funding.  There are several models for education delivery, alternate funding, and even looking at the “big picture” of what a school means to a community and how that community is part of a larger economic corridor, worthy of consideration for growth and growth development. 

Career Education Task Force

I was fortunate enough to lead a Career Education Task Force for the Minister of Education, and we are now just wrapping up a final report for her.  In those pages are several recommendations that I believe can be implemented to alleviate the conventional “decision-making” process being thrown about.  I look forward to engaging with those who want to discuss why we should keep the little hearts of our communities beating and not allow a lack of imagination or tunnel vision to hollow them out.

Small Schools Are Worth Fighting For 

Being from Alberta, growing up on a small farm, and attending a small school certainly created challenges for me, but it has also given me many skill sets that have served me well over my different careers. As the MLA, this background has undoubtedly provided me with perspective to help correct a course of action that would be to the detriment of a community and our region.  These little places are worth our attention, worth taking a second look at, and the effort to devise an alternate plan, perhaps along the way using some non-conventional thinking to solve the problem and help save that beating heart.

Sincerely,

Shane Getson