A one-of-a-kind, Richmond-based independent school, for children described as having complex needs, is at risk of closing its doors this month, should it not get additional money from the Ministry of Education.
Dr. Rick Brennan, executive director at Glen Eden school, said his accredited facility is about $300,000 in the red after a $200,000 education grant was lost and he gave some parents tuition relief this year, as operating costs rose.
The 14 students who attend Glen Eden come from across the Lower Mainland. Brennan said they have a combination of factors — mental health, developmental and physiological — that prevent them from participating in public and private school programs.
“They’re complicated kids and the schools can’t deal with them, or help them at all,” said Brennan.
One of those students is Jacob, whose parents Belle and Albert Basco are pleading to Minister of Education Rob Fleming to find the necessary funds to keep the school operational.
“We need options like this and in our own community,” said Belle, whose family lives in Surrey.
Jacob, a Grade 4 student with autism, came to Glen Eden after attending a Catholic school in Surrey during his Grade 1 year.
But he was pulled from school mid-year after severe, daily tantrums and outbursts.
Despite one-on-one care, “it came to a point where we were getting calls every day, ‘can you pick him up,’ and it came to a point where they didn’t know what to do,” explained Albert.
“He started to feel excluded,” said Belle, adding that the family, as a whole, “felt rejected.”
“They got Jacob to try to fit the school’s program whereas this school (Glen Eden), they work around what makes Jacob tick and what makes him learn better,” explained Albert.
“The number one thing is, he’s happy to come here. We don’t get calls,” said Belle.
Brennan said he has dipped into his own pockets to keep the school running.
For instance, he cut the Basco’s tuition by half this year.
Albert said a school such as Glen Eden is a worthy investment for the government.
“If the funding was here and the school was here, it would be a lot easier to integrate back into regular society,” said Albert.
“Because, imagine the cost of them growing up terribly and not being able to contribute to society? That’s way more expensive.”
The goal of Glen Eden is to reintegrate these children back into a public or private school by modelling an education program around their specific needs.
Paul Sumandea’s daughter Alberta is a Grade 3 student who also has autism.
“For years, she was in a deep depression; she didn’t want to go to school,” said Sumandea, of Vancouver.
“For one hour in the morning she got really agitated, saying, ‘daddy, daddy they put me in a dungeon, they put me in a dungeon,’ because they’re putting her in the sensory room.”
Brennan said that while Glen Eden is an independent (private) school, it is not comparable to typical ones that are said to accentuate the education experience for a premium cost.
“By international standards, these costs should be paid for by the government,” said Brennan, who holds a PhD in child development.
Minister of Education Rob Fleming was not available for an interview, but his staff said the minister is aware of the situation and is in communication with Brennan, who had indicated the school would close this month if additional funding is not secured.
Fleming noted that the school already receives the same per pupil funding as a special needs student in public schools, plus an additional $2,000 per student as it is a special education school.
Regardless, Fleming said his staff will meet with Brennan this week to discuss more funding.
“We will also include the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Children and Family Development in joint meetings in order to review any potential options under other government programs and services,” stated Fleming.
