The sole school in an east-central Alberta village will close its doors for good at the end of June, following a close vote at an emotional board meeting Wednesday.

“I just have no emotion right now. It’s just — kind of in shock,” said Julie Warrilow, a parent at Delnorte school located in Innisfree, Alta., about 140 kilometres east of Edmonton.

Warrilow was among 11 area residents who filled a makeshift gallery in the Buffalo Trail Public School boardroom. Many were holding tissues and sporting navy blue sweaters emblazoned with the school’s name. 

Trustees voted 4-3 to close the school, meaning more than 50 Innisfree and area students will leave the community for their education next year. 

After the vote, hushed whispers from spectators turned into an eruption of emotion. A cry of “No. No. One more year!” was heard from the back of the room.

“I’m feeling devastated,” Evan Raycraft, Mayor of Innisfree, said after the decision. “This is a blow for our community, for our viability, and for our children here.”

The review of Delnorte school began officially on Jan. 21 with a motion to investigate the school’s complete or partial closure, but the school had been on the board’s radar since November. 

At a community meeting attended by more than 200 in February, the board cited declining enrolment, a $225,000 operating deficit for the current school year and classrooms with three grades as concerns. 

The nearest division school is in Mannville, Alta., 30 kilometres west of Innisfree. But some parents, like Raycraft, will be pursuing alternative options. 

“BTPS has made it pretty clear they don’t want us, so my own children will not attend BTPS,” said Raycraft. “I won’t be busing them to Mannville.” 

One last plea

Before the vote, Warrilow spoke — at times through tears — to “advocate firmly and unapologetically” for the school community. 

“A week ago, as I tucked in my nine-year-old son into bed, he looked at me and said ‘Mom, I don’t want my school to close.’ I promised him I was trying my best, ” she said.

“I’m here keeping that promise.” 

Her statement echoed themes expressed in February: concerns about uprooting established relationships between students and staff, the value of small schools and class sizes, and worries about long bus rides that could result from an amalgamation with Mannville school. 

Matt Read, the board’s secretary-treasurer, said if current bus routes redirected to Mannville remain unchanged, two would be longer than  the 75-minute route maximum in the board’s transportation policy. 

Board chair Kara Jackson said the policy notes the board “will strive” to keep ride times below 75 minutes. 

Warrilow also pointed to the board’s own enrolment projections that estimate Delnorte will serve 66 students in the 2026-27 school year, with continued growth in following years. 

After the decision, Warrilow said she felt listened to, but not necessarily heard. 

“It doesn’t really seem like they had a response. I think that’s been the hard thing in all of it, is they make a statement, we make a statement. But there hasn’t been a lot of conversation.” 

Raycraft said he felt frustrated by the closed portions of the meetings, where members of the public aren’t permitted to hear board discussion. From his perspective, Wednesday’s meeting was a formality. 

“I was anticipating the outcome that we received today,” he said.

“The decision was made before we came in the door today.” 

Many trustees expressed regret but said their ultimate responsibility is to the almost 3,700 students across the division. 

“At the end of the day, decisions that we make around this table will have consequences far beyond any one or two communities — whether it’s Innisfree or my own or anyone else in Buffalo Trail,” said trustee Duane Skinner. 

Alternative options — such as a shared responsibility program which would partially integrate  homeschooled students, a collegiate program, or a sister-school relationship between Innisfree and Mannville — were explored but ultimately rejected. 

Jackson said the board considered a number of different factors, including money matters, before the final vote.

“Finances are how programming exists,” Jackson told CBC News following the vote. “Without finances, we don’t have the opportunities to learn in buildings that accommodate what students need. We don’t have buses to get the students to the schools.” 

She said the board will also consider reviewing policies around notifying and engaging with communities where schools are potentially up for closure. The changes were recommended by a consultant.

After the meeting, Raycraft and Warrilow said they would continue fighting to keep education in Innisfree. 

“Innisfree has grit, Innisfree has a lot of will,” said Raycraft. “We’re going to be meeting tonight actually, as a community to talk, to discuss, to cry together, and to plan to move forward. 

“We’re not going to stop until we have a solution for students in our community.”