Cold Lake Outreach turns 25-ish

On February 10, 1997, Cold Lake Outreach School (CLOS) opened its doors for the first time and welcomed 17 students to an alternative way to complete their high school studies. Since then, hundreds of students have graduated from CLOS and enrollment has grown to 172 students in 2022-2023.

To celebrate its quadranscentennial anniversary, the school is inviting alumni to gather at the school on June 2 from 12-3 p.m. for a barbecue.

“We are looking forward to catching up with former students from Outreach, celebrating all of the successes everyone has experienced over the last 25 years, and promoting our school to the Cold Lake community as a viable educational option” said Principal Elliott Bessey. 

Cold Lake Outreach School provides high school programming (grades 10-12) through a variety of alternative methods that address the needs of its students. This can include accommodating learning challenges, supporting student mental health, helping connect students to community supports, and providing flexible schedules that allow students to balance their high school studies with work and/or family commitments. Staff and students work together to develop a plan aimed at supporting students and ensuring success. For some this may mean taking fewer courses so they can focus intently on certain areas or have time to work. Other students choose to work at a faster pace and are able to meet their graduation requirements earlier.

“Our flexibility has really been the key to our growth and success,” explained Bessey. “We are able to adapt our programming to meet the individual needs of our students.”