Haida Gwaii’s school district superintendent, Lisa Bernoties, has reassured the community of Port Clements that there are no plans to close their school. The school board and district are currently reviewing the configuration of grades offered at Port Clements Elementary to ensure the school’s long-term sustainability.
“I want to make it very clear that the board hasn’t discussed closing the school, and this is something I wouldn’t advise,” Bernoties told Haida Gwaii News.
The district has been actively engaged with the Port Clements community to ensure clarity about the school’s future. Bernoties has met multiple times with Port Clements Mayor Scott Cabianca to reassure the village that their school is not in danger of closing. Mayor Cabianca did not respond to a request for comment on his involvement by press time.
Additionally, the public is encouraged to attend an input meeting hosted by Bernoties, where community members will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns.
Currently, Port Clements Elementary has around 18 students enrolled in Kindergarten through Grade 3, but only four students are in the intermediate grades (Grades 4 and 5), with no students enrolled in Grades 6 and 7. This disparity between the lower and intermediate grades has led to discussions about the best way to ensure the school’s sustainability moving forward. Bernoties believes that removing the intermediate grades and focusing on the younger students, is the most viable option for the school’s future.
“The district receives a grant for the school due to its distance from the district’s office. There is no financial benefit to the district to close the school,” she explained. The distance between Port Clements and the district office makes the school eligible for additional funding, which helps maintain operational support. This means there is no financial incentive to close the school, as Bernoties emphasizes, but rather a desire to optimize the existing resources for the benefit of the students.
As part of the district’s commitment to transparency, Bernoties has attended staff meetings and Parent Advisory Committee meetings and is hosting a public input session at Port Clements Elementary School on Tuesday, February 4th, at 6 p.m. Parents from Port Clements and Tlell will also be contacted via email after the meeting and asked for their input on the potential changes. This ongoing engagement reflects the district’s desire to involve the community in shaping the future of their school.
The decision to review the grade configuration is primarily motivated by the need to ensure that all students, particularly those in the younger grades, have access to a high-quality educational experience. Currently, the students in the intermediate grades are not benefiting from the same socially enriching and academically supportive environment that is more achievable in the younger grades. “It’s not meeting the threshold,” Bernoties said, referring to the fact that the small number of students in these grades makes it difficult to offer the same level of engagement and enrichment opportunities. In contrast, the larger group of K-3 students could benefit from more resources and attention that a more focused grade structure could provide.
The potential changes to the school’s configuration are designed to create a more equitable learning environment. By consolidating the grades, the district hopes to provide a more socially enriching and effective educational experience for all students. With fewer students in the intermediate grades, the current structure may not be offering the same level of social engagement or learning opportunities that larger groups might receive. Focusing resources on the younger grades is intended to ensure that these students receive the best possible support and can thrive in a more cohesive and academically rigorous environment.
When asked about potential options to avoid a sudden transition for the students who would be moving into the intermediate grades in the coming years, Bernoties stated that, while nothing has been proposed to the board at this time, there are options that can be discussed. This suggests that the district is open to exploring solutions that would minimize disruption for families while still ensuring the school’s long-term sustainability.
“I hope what we can achieve is clarity and build confidence in the community that we are not trying to close the school down,” Bernoties said. Her statement highlights the district’s commitment to transparency and to addressing any concerns the community may have about the future of the school.
The decision-making process is guided by what the district terms the three E’s—Education, Economics, and Equity—which are essential to creating a balanced, sustainable approach to managing the school system.
Education remains the central focus, ensuring that all students have access to a quality learning experience. In Port Clements, focusing on the younger grades (K-3) ensures that the majority of students receive the attention and resources they need to succeed. The reconfiguration of grades is seen as a way to improve the overall educational experience by better allocating resources where they are most needed.
Economics is another important factor. Port Clements Elementary is eligible for a grant due to its remote location, which helps offset some of the challenges of operating a school in a small community. There is no financial incentive to close the school. Instead, the district is focusing on ensuring that resources are used efficiently to support the students who are currently enrolled.
Finally, Equity is a guiding principle that ensures every student, regardless of their background or grade level, has access to the resources they need to succeed. By focusing on the needs of younger students and ensuring they have the best possible educational opportunities, the district aims to create an equitable learning environment where all students can thrive.
The potential reconfiguration of grades at Port Clements Elementary is aimed at ensuring that all students, regardless of grade, receive the best possible support. The district is committed to fostering an environment where educational quality, financial sustainability, and equity are all prioritized for the benefit of the entire community.