In a perfect world, it would have been a new, perhaps bigger, school.
But, the community of Hafford knows there's no such thing as perfection, and they are happy to be celebrating the continued vitality of their recently renovated school, despite its new smaller size.
An open house was held at Hafford Central School Sept. 14 to mark the completion of a $1.7 million renovation/demolition project that saw staff and students moving out of their 52-year-old school and holding their 2010-11 classes in other venues throughout the community.
Meanwhile, contractors worked to complete new classrooms, renovate washrooms and change rooms and the main office and entry, along with outdoor work including landscaping, storage and a parking lot. The demolition of the oldest part of school, known as the north wing, was also part of the project.
The 22 staff and this year's 178 students are back in the building now.
It's nice to be back together, even if the space is tighter, said the co-chairs of the Student Leadership Council, Rebekah Lesko and Sarah Jones, speaking during a program in the gymnasium of the school last week.
It was a day happily met by long time school board member Ron Kowalchuk who said, "Wow, we've finally done it after all these years."
It was the completion of a plan that was approved in 2002 then re-approved in 2006, and finally started, unofficially, in 2009 with a special needs washroom project. But the wait has been even longer than that.
"This project has been near and dear to me for many years."
Kowalchuk, now Hafford's representative on the Living Sky School Division board, said he was first elected to Hafford's local school board 29 years ago. The aging school building was a concern even at that time, he said, and a request went in for a new one.
During the 1980s, when the school population was averaging 200 students, the local school board was assured they were on the list for replacement. In fact they were as close as third from the top, said Kowalchuk. At that point, they were part of the Blaine Lake School District.
But, declining enrolment during lean years threatened even the existence of the school. The economy did improve and enrolment has climbed again, but not before the request for a new school was denied and the concept of a renovation and demolition became the new goal.
Throughout the years of waiting, during which changes in the education landscape in Saskatchewan saw Hafford school under the umbrella of two more subsequent divisions before the amalgamation that created Living Sky School Division, students and staff persevered with the need for repairs and improvements. Leaky roofs and students wearing their jackets in cold classrooms were the norm, said Kowalchuk.
Now this project is finally done, said Kowalchuk, who attended high school in the wing demolished as part of the process, his next goal is to get one or two more classrooms for pre-kindergarten and playschool.
The afternoon program also included remarks by principal Martin Link. He said the fact school opened this year with 180 students enrolled had a lot to do with the renovations. In the last five years, he said, they didn't dare think they would have 180 students again.
Vice-principal Jason Collin credited school staff, students and Link for persevering through the project.
"Our staff and our students and Mr. Link have put up with a lot and have really risen to the challenges of the renovations," said Collin.
Also speaking during the program were Living Sky School Division Chief Financial Officer Ray Kopera, MLA Denis Allchurch, Hafford Central School Community Council chairperson John Kindrachuk and Town of Hafford councillor Mary Linnell, also a retired teacher who still substitutes at Hafford Central School.
"I almost wish I hadn't retired," said Linnell as she looked around the newly renovated school. "Almost!"
A poem by former student Tymofy Hawrish was read by teacher Brianne Baranieski, and a video presentation featuring an interview with former student and teacher Margaret Lommell was premiered.
The program was also attended by the Living Sky School Board of Education (minus two farmers) and several senior staff of central office.
Superannuates who were present for the open house included Irene Attrux, Diane Harwysh, Mary Linnell, Margaret Lommer, Ollie Marciniuk, Marilyn Marciniuk, Elsie Michaluk, Linda Paulow, Nydia Pobran, Orest Pobran, Sylvia Sawyshyn, Dennis Taylor and Ron Tkachuk. Also present was one former principal, Jim Shevchuk, now superintendent of curriculum and instruction with Living Sky School Division.
Guided tours of the renovated school plus a hamburger lunch prepared in the school's new (but smaller) PAA lab (Practical Applied Arts) concluded the open house.
Among those helping with the program was former student Christine Gonda, who was the local school board chair when Kowalchuk was first elected and who has been working at the school for five years now as an educational assistant. She describes the school as the centre of the community.
"We fought for it," she told the Regional Optimist following the program.
When all the other little towns around them were losing their schools, the community and its volunteers never gave up, she said. It may be smaller, but it's still a great school in a great community, said Gonda.
History
The following is a history of Hafford Central School as compiled by Living Sky School Division Communications Manager Shelly Janostin:
Public education began in the Hafford school district in 1914, 97 years ago.
The first classes were held in the Methodist Church.
In 1915, debentures were issued in the amount of $2,700 for a two room school house. This school was located in the southwest corner of the present day school yard.
In 1925 a new two-storey school was built to accommodate all grades, primarily from the village of Hafford.
The surrounding rural areas around Hafford offered education in their respective communities between 1912 and 1960, offering Grades 1 to 8, which were taught by one teacher and provided.
The students from these schools eventually came to Hafford in the late 1950s and early '60s, as the country school house model was replaced with a large central school. The country schools that surrounded Hafford include: Alberton, Bohdan, Canada, Craigmore, Lancaster, Langley, Lost Lake, Nauka, Orolow, Oscar Lake, Krivosheim, Oukraina, Roseberry, Rus, Sich, Slawa, Uhrynow, White Berry, Zaporeze and Zbaraz.
A new school was built in Hafford in 1958. This new building housed the high school students as well as Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4. The old two storey school housed Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8.
In 1967, the present gym was built and commemorated Canada's Centennial year. Other classrooms, change rooms, PAA lab and science lab were also added at this time.
The school population at HCS during the '60s and '70s was approximately 250 students. This surge in population brought two additional classrooms, better known as "the portables."
In the '80s the school enrolments averaged 200 students and in the '90s the school population declined to a low of 114 students in 1999.
Since that time, Hafford has seen an increase in student populations and its current year opening day enrolment was 180 students.
School boundaries changed over the decades and students attended Hafford Central from the communities of Speers, Alticane, Keatley, and Mayfair.
