It’s July and instead of thinking about summer Alastair McPherson is wondering what his school year is going to look like in September.

He’s heading into grade 11 at Chippewa and just completed a two-year lead up to the International Baccalaureate program, which runs in grades 11 and 12.

The Near North Board is cancelling the program.

McPherson says there are plenty of question marks around what’s happening this fall.

“The grade 11s going into grade 12, I believe have been told they are 100 percent getting to finish IB, but myself and the people in my grade we don’t know what’s going to happen at all, so there’s a lot of uncertainly, a bit of stress, a bit of anxiety,” he says.

In an email to BayToday last week, Board chair Jay Aspin said they ended the ‘expensive IB Program after an unfavourable five year cost-benefit analysis.

McPherson is asking the board to reconsider.

“A yearly fee could be covered by new students who come into the board and bring more funding along with them. I think that honestly, IB is more than worth the cost and I really want the school board to try to look more into how beneficial it is for students and reconsider their decision,” he says.

McPherson says the program offers a great opportunity for students who want more enriched learning.

 

(File photo by station staff)