By Stew Kernan

The Rainbow District School Board is taking some drastic steps to deal with a loss of provincial funding and declining enrolment.

A $3.6 million funding shortfall has the board looking at closing nine elementary schools, two high schools and consolidating a number of others.

Director of Education Norm Blaseg says it hasn’t been an easy plan to come up with.

The changes will see permanent savings of 3.5 million dollars annually with the elimination of more than 24-hundred surplus spaces and 51.1 million dollars in capital renewal costs.

Blasag says the public will be involved in all aspects of the plan moving forward.

Filed under: closing, local news, Rainbow District School Board, schools