Ocean Forest Lutheran College to close
Declining enrolment numbers have forced Ocean Forest Lutheran College to close its doors at the end of the 2017 school year, with the decision branded as “distressing but unavoidable” by directors.
The Dalyellup private school was established in 2004, but has struggled to maintain its student base and lost more than 400 students in the past eight years.
Ocean Forest had 570 students in 2009, but has just 20 kindergarten children and 144 students enrolled from pre-primary to Year 10 this year.
“The college cannot sustain the financial impacts experienced due to the significantly falling enrolments,” chairman Scott Nuske said in a statement.
“We will support in every way that we can our students, their families and our staff as they leave Ocean Forest Lutheran College. This includes counselling and any other support that we can provide.”
Mr Nuske confirmed it was the school board and Lutheran Schools Association’s intention to sell the site, preferably to an education provider.
More in tomorrow’s South Western Times.
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