The Ministry of Education has said no to a request from the Town of Essex to conduct an administrative review into the decision to close Harrow District High School.
A release from the town says it received word from the Ministry late Monday afternoon. Town council filed the formal request in November to review the program and accommodation review process and a 5-4 vote by public school board trustees.
However, the town says it's not finished.
The Harrow District High School Working Committee is circulating two new petitions. Signatures will be collected until January 25.
"We encourage anyone who is concerned about the loss of Harrow High and the decline in government support for rural education to sign the petitions," says Essex CAO Russ Phillips. "It's quite unfortunate that parents and students at Harrow High will now have to seek secondary school education outside their own community and quite possibly outside their own municipality."
Once Harrow High closes, the only publicly-funded secondary school within Essex town limits will be Essex District High School, and students will have to find their own transportation.
The committee met Wednesday night to discuss the Ministry's response and plans to ask council for direction before Monday night's town council meeting. The meeting is behind closed doors.
The Greater Essex County District School Board will close the high school this June.