Rural school closures hit some communities hard, main parties pledge action
Sara van Ravenswaay was devastated when her high school in rural southwestern Ontario was closed last year, months before she was set to begin Grade 12.
The 18-year-old was the kind of student who stayed late after class to engage with teachers and make sure she understood concepts being taught. But now, after having to transfer to a larger school in Grimsby, Ont., van Ravenswaay takes more of her classes online, avoiding spending time in a place where she says she feels like an outsider.
“I’ve just taken myself away from school as much as possible now because I don’t feel like it’s a place that I want to spend time,” she said, noting that she has to drive to school now since the bus ride takes more than an hour.
Van Ravenswaay’s former school — South Lincoln High School in Smithville, Ont. — was among the rural schools that have been shuttered in recent years due to a dwindling student body.