Next week, Waterloo Catholic District School Board trustees will receive a report about the future of St. Agatha Catholic Elementary School.
They’ll be faced with two opens – shutting the school down or keeping it open.
And it’s because that second proposal will be up for discussion that parents have hope they’ll be able to save the school.
The committee examining the issue had previously recommended closing the school, but opted Tuesday to weigh both options equally.
Cathy Mallick, who has four kids at St. Agatha, says she’s “relieved” by that decision.
“With the public school board considering building a third school and the Catholic school board considering reducing their offering to one school, it seems really irresponsible,” she says.
Mallick points to expected growth across Wilmot Township, especially in the Baden area, over the next 10 years as a reason to keep the school open beyond its community feel.
But that community feel isn’t a myth.
The manager of Angie’s Kitchener, Amy Marcoux, doesn’t have any kids at St. Agatha – but she too wants to see it stick around.
“I feel like it would be a tremendous loss for the community,” she says.
Although trustees will see the report next week, a vote isn’t expected until late June.
If St. Agatha is closed, students could be sent to schools in Waterloo, New Hamburg or St. Clements.
