The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Anyone who’s had a connection with the Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC) is invited to visit a new website that’s been set up to honour the facility that is weeks away from closing.

The website adlcmemories.ca includes history and personal tributes to the facility that started as the Alberta Correspondence School in 1923. Based in Barrhead and operated by the Pembina Hills School Division, the centre will officially close on June 25.

“We needed to do something to mark the event,” said Gary Frederickson, an ADLC teacher who is involved in creating and maintaining the website.
Frederickson is seeking more photos and personal thoughts that he can post to the site. He can be reached by email at gwfrederickson@gmail.com.

The learning centre employs about 80 teachers, about half of whom are based in Barrhead while the others are located elsewhere in the province and even beyond. About half of the staff have landed other assignments within the division, while the other half is looking for work, Frederickson said.

The closure is the result of provincial funding being phased out. While the closure has been a politically charged issue, the website is focused on people’s stories, not politics, Fredrickson said. 

A virtual farewell is also scheduled for June 23.

“It just didn’t seem right to have it just sort of disappear,” he said. ❚