THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - Despite continuing concerns about GNWT funding, two alternative schools in the South Slave will continue operating next school year.

There had been some suggestion that Phoenix School in Fort Smith and the Storefront School in Hay River - both operated by the communities' high schools - might be forced to close.

Julie Lys, chair of the Fort Smith District Education Authority (DEA), said the funding shortfall for Phoenix School will be covered by a "slight surplus" at Paul William Kaeser (PWK) High School.

In Hay River, Paul Theriault, principal of Diamond Jenness Secondary School, said the Storefront School will continue into next year.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment previously announced a planned switch in financial support for alternative schools from formula funding - based on the number of students - to block funding for next school year.

Formula funding was continued for this school year as a transition period.

However, the department recently contracted an educational consultant to review the operation of alternative high school programs in the 2010-2011 school year.

"The review, expected to be completed in late April, includes an examination of the funding requirements of these programs," said a department spokesperson.

Lys said the Fort Smith DEA is working with the department to try and retain the current funding formula.

If the announced change happens, the funding shortfall for Phoenix School would be about $220,000.

For the coming school year, that funding would be covered by money that had been put aside to buy new computers for PWK. How- -ever, that will only be for one year, Lys said. "After that, we'll have to make a hard decision. Where are we going to take the $220,000 from?"

The DEA chair said Phoenix School is important for Fort Smith students, particularly young aboriginal people.

"They need something that works differently for them," she said. "We found a really good solution to getting kids back into school and for them to get their high school diplomas."

Lys intends to raise the funding issue at the South Slave Aboriginal Student Achievement Minister's Regional Forum set for April 5 to 7 in Hay River.

Theriault said, while the Storefront School in Hay River will remain open in the coming year, it may be different than the current program.

"The plan is to have it open next year," he said. "It may have to be scaled back, but we are hopeful that the government will have a change of heart in this particular matter."

Theriault said the government consultant was in Hay River within the last two weeks.

"If it doesn't change, it will really be a shoestring operation," he said of how a funding cut would affect the Hay River alternative school.

Theriault said the Storefront School is too important to let go.

The principal said, if the funding arrangement changes next school year, the Storefront School would get about $186,000, but it requires double that amount.

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