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Vol. 18, No. 31, Wednesday, June 28, 2023 www.LamontLeader.com
Charter school for Andrew? Success of specialty rural schools a model for possible Andrew Rural Academy after EIPS closure BY JANA SEMENIUK Whispers of a possible charter school for the village of Andrew became more of a reality June 22 as the school’s social media page changed its name to ‘Andrew Rural Academy’. Andrew Mayor Merwin Haight said a committee is looking into the possibilities but could not provide concrete details around what the rural academy is exactly, and what it could mean for
Andrew. “The village of Andrew has a fourmember committee struck, to look at the possibility of purchasing the school and (look at) possible entities that could potentially operate out of that building,” he said. “There’s been public interest in forming a charter school, and there’s also been public interest in daycare (as well as) having adult education facili-
ties here in the building that could also include health and safety courses.” Haight added that a post-secondary educational program is also a possibility. “There’s also been interest in forming a satellite campus for post-secondary institutions like Lakeland Collage, NAIT etc. Our (viability) report is about half completed into the costs and operations of the building
and what it would mean budget wise. More information will be available in the coming weeks,” he said. The decision to close Andrew School was made by Elk Island Public Schools during a special board meeting on May 4. The school will be officially closed as of June 30.
81-year-old high school graduation ring donated back to Village of Chipman passed away. Once he found the ring, he told Chiperzak that he felt it should be given back to the town. “(The ring) brought memories of me knowing him before he left home and the reason being is that I was only eight years old when he left,” said Chiperzak. “I remember walking to school with him and meeting up with the Sheptiki boys who were renting a house from the Ludwigs during the wintertime to go to school. We used to meet up there and warm up and then continue on into Chipman. It just brought back memories of him. We knew nothing about the (ring).” Continued on Page 2
BY JANA SEMENIUK The Chipman Historical Society (CHS) was presented with a joyous donation during its June 22 meeting held at the village office. Former Chipman resident Ed Chiperzak, and his daughter Sherry Matheson, brought them a beautifully framed 1942 Chipman high school graduation ring from Chiperzak’s older brother Anton (Chip) who passed away this past March in Ont. at the age of 98. The ring was first brought to the society by several members of Chiperzak’s family during the Golden Senior’s May 26 perogy dinner prior to being framed, which surprised and
The Chipman Historical Society receives a beautifully framed 81-year-old high school ring from former resident Anton Chiperzak's family on June 22. L-R: CHS members Blanche Thomson, Gale Antoniuk, Sonia Wall, Trudy Harrold, Carol Stribling, Tony Ngyen and Steve Eleniak. (seated) Sherry Matheson and her father Ed Chiperzak. Photo: Jana Semenuik
Anton Chiperzak
astonished the members. “It is a treasure,” said CHS president Tony Ngyen. “I was disappointed that (I couldn’t be at the perogy dinner).”
Chiperzak said he never knew of the ring’s existence until he got a phone call from his nephew, Doug, who was sorting his father’s belongings after he
The 81-year-old high school ring, belonging to the late Anton Chiperzak, that was donated to the Chipman Historical Society on June 22. Photo: Jana Semeniuk