Earlier this week, 50 students gathered for a three-day digital animation camp at Garibaldi annex put on by a Vancouver Island-based non-profit organization called Byte, which offers digital technology workshops to children across B.C.

Participants came from the annex's kindergarten to Grade 4 program, home learners program, Vancouver Learning Network elementary program and even from Nelson elementary, which is Garibaldi's sister school.

The camp may not have happened at all, but for Garibaldi supporters who sought a creative way to keep the East Side school open. It was considered for closure in 2007 as it struggled with low enrolment.

The school board agreed to give the annex time to boost student numbers, as long as it attracted at least 36 more students by September 2010 or it would close as of June 30, 2011.

Today, its overall enrolment has climbed from 48 in 2008/09 to 168 in 2009/10 to a projected 177 next school year thanks to registrants in the two district programs who augment the regular kindergarten to Grade 4 student numbers, which have grown from 48 to 57 since 2008.

The school also has a relationship with Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House. It offers an early childhood drop-in program and computer classes for adults.

Suzie Mah, a VLN teacher, considers the effort to save Garibaldi a success, although there's no guarantee the annex won't be on the list for possible school closures next week.

Comptroller general Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland, the special adviser who reviewed the district's financial performance, mentioned the school by name in her report and recommended trustees revisit their decision to see if closure is still warranted.

Wenezenki-Yolland said that the VSB should have closed schools to deal with the district's declining enrolment, but "public and political pressures and resistance to cut teaching positions make school closures more complex and difficult."

Such remarks make some parents and staff fear for Garibaldi's future. "The issue about closure for this school, in particular, is that it's been through so much heartache and the community has rallied to keep the school open," Mah said.

The VLN elementary program is an offshoot of the VLN secondary program located at John Oliver secondary. It operates like a public school and draws students from around the province and outside the country for B.C. residents living in places like Taiwan and Korea.

The network provides a curriculum that an adult, usually a parent, helps administer at home. The work is submitted electronically or by mail to VLN teachers at Garibaldi who mark it, write report cards, work with students and conduct home visits. Students can drop by for tutorials, participate in occasional workshops and join in monthly fields trips.

Garibaldi's VLN program has an enrolment of about 80 students in kindergarten to Grade 7 and four teachers, although the board proposes eliminating one teacher position.

"Our kids are not in front of us. They're not using space up in the facility, so this is a unique way of bringing money into the district by having these kids attend," explained Mah, who noted VLN students receive the same per pupil funding as students in brick and mortar schools.

noconnor@vancourier.com