Parents' efforts win the day
Jun 13, 2008 - 09:16 AM
By Jennifer Stone
BOWMANVILLE -- School will be in next September for the tiny students of Bowmanville Nursery School.
After receiving a letter from the Bowmanville Lions, who run the school, that the school would close due to declining enrolment, parents leaped to action, finding ways to make the six-decade-old school viable again.
It appears to have worked.
"We had another meeting with the Lions Club last evening, and they voted and decided to keep the school open," said Angela Russell, one of the parents who fought to keep the school in place.
The parents had come up with an array of ideas to help keep the school afloat, including possible advertising vehicles, fundraisers and a minor increase in fees. They also requested a break on rent from the Municipality, which owns the Beech Centre where the nursery school is located.
A parent council has been formed and several parents have committed to send their children to the half-day program next year. That still leaves plenty of spaces for more children, but it's a good start, Ms. Russell said.
The parent council is "going to be very involved with boosting the enrolment, holding fundraisers, getting the word out there" about the school, she said.
A committee made up of parents and Lions members will also be formed, said Iain Maciver of the Lions. The parents have been integral to the decision to keep the school open, he said.
"I'm quite excited about dealing with this energetic group," Mr. Maciver said.
The group is working to update the school's website,
www.bowmanvillenurseryschool.com, and has put together brochures, which they'll hand out at the Lions' upcoming Duck Derby in Bowmanville.
Getting the word out is key, despite the fact that in years past the school has boasted a waiting list resulting almost solely from people talking to each other.
"The Lions Club has historically had a lot of word-of-mouth (advertising)," Ms. Russell said. "But Bowmanville is growing so fast and we can't rely on the same channels as in past."
For parents of children from age 2 1/2 to five, it's a good place to send children, said Ms. Russell, who has one child in attendance at the school and anticipates sending her other child in a little over a year.
"It's a wonderful place for children to learn," she said.
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