For Immediate Release – Thursday, December 14, 2023
Re: Barr Colony School Announcement
Barr Colony School has been a valued part of the Lloydminster Public School Division and the
Lloydminster Community for the past 46 years. After carefully considering the information presented
and the feedback received from the Barr Colony School community, the LPSD Board of Education
announced the difficult decision to repurpose Barr Colony School.
After taking time to deliberate and review information from the November 22nd meeting and multiple
school stakeholder engagements, the LPSD Board of Education formally made the decision during
the December 13th regular LPSD Board Meeting.
This decision was not made lightly, and the Board recognizes the impact it will have on the Barr
Colony School students, families, and the community as a whole. We want to emphasize that this
decision was reached after an examination of the feasibility study, current utilization rates,
remediation and maintenance costs analysis and the concerns we received from the school
community. This strategic decision was made for the long-term sustainability of the Lloydminster
Public School Division.
Barr Colony School will close at the end of June 2024. This information was shared with Barr Colony
staff and families at the conclusion of the meeting. Our commitment to our students’ education and
well-being remains unwavering. We are now focused on providing support and guidance to all the
Barr Colony families and the community as we navigate the next steps.
The Board made the decision to repurpose the viable sections of the Barr Colony School building for
use by Avery School. The section identified as needing complete remediation will be closed. We will
continue to monitor air quality to ensure the safety of the building until the closure date.
As the Board of Education, we are committed to making informed, responsible, and equitable
decisions that align with our commitment to providing quality education while being fiscally
responsible. We thank all those impacted by this situation for their patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
David Thompson
LPSD Board of Education, Chair