Francois Lake Elementary school will remain open with fewer teachers and classes in the upcoming school year due to low enrolment, contrary to rumours suggesting that the school may be permanently closed.
The school will move from having three classes to two, and will switch from a full-time principal to a part-time principal, according to an email sent by Marlee Wilson, the current principal, to the Francois Lake Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee on May 27.
"I want to clearly state that Francois Lake Elementary is not closing," she said in the email. "The process to close a school requires months of consultation and planning. Families can be assured that our school will remain open for September 2025."
Three teachers will be moving to other positions in the school district. Beckie Watts is moving to Decker Lake Elementary School, Adam Hogarth is moving to Grassy Plains School, and Velvet Hogarth is moving to William Konkin Elementary School. Additionally, Wilson herself is moving into a vice-principal position at William Konkin Elementary.
School District 91 will hire two new full-time teachers. One will teach the kindergarten to grade three class while the other will teach the grade four to grade seven class. There will also be a one-day-per-week teaching position advertised to cover preparation time for the other two teachers.
Wendy Keleman will step into the principal role for two to three days a week, supported by Ginger Moyah, the principal at Grassy Plains School, who will work at Francois Lake Elementary School one day per week.
"I understand that this news may come as a surprise to many," Wilson said in the email. "While these changes are significant, please know that Francois Lake Elementary remains committed to providing quality education and support to all of our students. Our school community is strong, and we will continue to work together to ensure student success through this time of transition."
