In 1991, the school board of the time planned to cut Grades 10, 11, and 12 from Cartwright School. Cartwright, a community of approximately 350 people, was not willing to allow this to happen, and so after many community consultations and alternative options failed, they decided to form a private school in order to offer complete grades in our community.
“The community simply sought to keep a co
mplete school in town, so their students wouldn’t have to face a long bus ride, and be excluded from sports and jobs that take place after school. So the tuition for CCIS is extremely low, but parents and other community members are expected to contribute funds and volunteer their time, year after year, to help keep the school going. That has been a hard slog throughout the last twenty years, but the end result, seeing another group of students graduate at home each year, is so very rewarding.” reprinted from the Southern Manitoba Review on the occasion of CCIS’s 20th Anniversary. Although technically Grade 12 is the only grade currently being run by CCIS, all grades are benefiting from the private school’s funding. CCIS employs teachers who work with all of the children in the school, and without CCIS’s funding more triple and quad grade classrooms would be a reality. It costs approximately $100,000.00 to operate CCIS for one school year. About $25,000 of that is generated through Manitoba Education & Training grants, but the remaining money has to be raised through donations and fundraising events. CCIS’s major fundraising event is the service auction, which is held once every three years. The remaining funds are generated through private donations from parents, community members, former students and their families. In 2012, over 20 years after CCIS was formed, our board surveyed the community, and 100% of respondents felt that the continued operation of CCIS was important to the community of Cartwright & surrounding area. So we continue to do whatever it takes to keep our small school viable, and offer a quality education to our students, while maintaining control over the fate of the education system in our community. The school is the heart of any community, and our citizens are keenly aware of how important it is, not only to our children, but also to our local economy and growth. There are many ways to contribute to CCIS, whether it be a donation of time or money, planning a fundraiser or serving on the board of directors. All contributions, no matter how big or small, are vital to the continued operation of CCIS. Donations can be sent to:
CCIS
Box 439
Carwright, MB R0K 0L0
The CCIS board has starting a Cartwright School Alumni Association so we can keep those of you who are no longer in the community informed about what's happening with the school.
