By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
As a result of declining enrolment, the Prairie Spirit School Division (PSSD) has initiated a formal review of Laird School that could potentially lead to its closure or the elimination of one or more grades.
The Village of Laird is located approximately 67 kilometres north of Saskatoon and directly west of the Town of Rosthern. According to the village’s website, the community had 267 residents as of the 2016 census, and it only has the single K-8 school.
According to the School Division Administration Regulations, a school board may choose to close a school or discontinue one or more grades if the board of education passes a motion to review the school on or before October 15 of the year before the following year when the closure/discontinuance would occur.
A communications spokesperson for PSSD said that a motion to initiate the review of Laird School was passed at the September 22 board meeting.
The School Division Administration Regulations further states that a board of education may only carry out a review of a school if the nearest K-8 school is not more than 40 kilometres away.
The nearest K-12 school to Laird would be in Waldheim, which is about 14 kilometres southwest. Currently, Grades 9-12 students from Laird attend Waldheim School.
As well, at least 90 per cent of K-8 students must live within 75 minutes of the nearest school if travelling by motor vehicle under normal driving conditions, and the division must arrange for alternative transportation for those pupils that live more than 75 minutes from the nearest school.
A review can also be initiated only if a K-8 school has fewer than 51 pupils. As noted in a letter that was sent out to parents of Laird School students on September 26, the current enrolment of Laird School is 37 students.
Enrolment has also been falling over the past decade, beginning with a high of 79 students in 2016-2017. In fact, the school has been under the 51-student threshold identified in the regulations since the 2022-2023 school year, when enrolment fell to 40 students.
Though the regulations do not reference the physical condition of a school, the letter to Laird parents also notes that the school requires an estimated $1.5 million in renovations, including a roof and HVAC replacement.
“We understand that news of a school review can be concerning. We want to assure you that this process is not a recommendation for school closure or changes to grades at this time,” the letter states.
“A school review is a structured process designed to gather information, listen to the community, and make informed decisions that support students and families. There will be no changes to the school during this current
school year.”
As part of this process, a School Review Committee will be formed in order to consult local families and gather input. The Village of Laird, the RM of Laird and the Laird School Community Committee have been invited to participate in the review.
A media release from the division notes that further details about the school review will be shared in the coming weeks. More details about the process, including timelines and opportunities for community input, will be highlighted on the Prairie Spirit website at www.spiritsd.ca/lairdschoolreview.
It is worth noting that this is the first time that Prairie Spirit has initiated a school review since its formation in 2006 through the amalgamation of three other school divisions. No other school within PSSD is currently undergoing a similar review.
Should closure occur, it is not yet clear what will happen to the physical building within Laird. However, the Prairie Spirit spokesperson confirmed that ownership of the building would remain with PSSD.
Incidentally, the school staff currently includes 3.0 full-time-equivalent (FTE) teachers, as well as education assistants (1.3 FTEs), an administrative assistant and a half-time caretaker.
This photo of Laird School was pulled from the Prairie Spirit School Division website.