Feel free to draw on this letter for facts / inspiration. Include your own personal story (a great place would be after the 1st paragraph) for why the school is important to you, your children, your community, your business, etc.
THANK YOU to Margaret from Petite, who volunteered to write this template letter!
Dear Minister Casey (CC. MLA Mark Furey),
I am a proud supporter of the vibrant community of Petite Riviere. I am writing to express my concern over the South Shore Regional School Board’s decision to close Petite Riviere and Pentz Elementary Schools. I am extremely dissatisfied with the way this decision has been handled by the Board, especially in recent months, and in particular with the events that unfolded at the meeting on February 22nd, 2017.
Schools are the heart of our communities. They influence where families choose to live and serve as vital community hubs. Petite Riviere is a growing community that is drawing countless young families and entrepreneurs from as far as Western Canada and outside the country. Petite is a model community for the revitalization of rural Nova Scotia. Closing our schools would represent a giant step backwards in a movement that is gaining momentum.
The board did not intend to leave these communities without a school. Their intention was to close Petite Riviere and Pentz Elementary Schools only when a new school was built for this thriving population. A new build has been rejected three times. Now the board is cobbling together an inadequate plan to bus 150 very young children up to two hours a day to an already overcrowded school.
A much better solution is already on the table. You have informed the board that there could be funds for an A&A if they request them. A recent report has shown that this is the best value for this community. Yet the board is failing to act in the best interests of the communities and the children.
I want to extend my appreciation to Mark Furey, our local MLA, for his dedicated support to our communities and to you, Minister Karen Casey, for providing leadership on this issue. We are working hard with the help of countless volunteers. I ask you to work with us to fix this mess and take every possible action to ensure our success.
The fact that the fate of 150+ students (and growing), their families and communities should hinge on a single legal opinion is unacceptable. The idea that this decision is beyond anyone’s control is unconvincing. This school board is paralyzed by poor leadership and poor advice. I ask that you either: repeal Regulation 20 retroactive to March 2013 so that the board feels they can rescind the original motion or direct the board to apply for an A&A and complete a new school review as required by the Act.
Countless people have invested in the community of Petite Riviere – we are only asking to keep what we have built. Please use all of your abilities to resolve this unacceptable situation.
Sincerely,