Proponents of a new high school for Cranbrook will have a chance to pitch the Minister of Education on Friday, January 27.

George Abbott will have a packed schedule during his visit to Cranbrook, but Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett said he'll make sure that the replacement of Mount Baker Secondary School is a topic of discussion.

"It's my priority on the visit, there's no question of that," said Bennett.

Abbott, who is MLA for Shuswap, will visit four Cranbrook schools: Mount Baker, Amy Woodland Elementary, Gordon Terrace Elementary and Kootenay Christian Academy.

"We're going to focus on Cranbrook schools this trip. We've had the minister of education over in the Elk Valley before and the next time George comes back we'll spend more time in the Elk Valley. It is a focus on Cranbrook this time," said Bennett.

At Amy Woodland, he will talk to teachers and visit the StrongStart early childhood program. At Gordon Terrace, he will talk to Grade 5 students about a literary pilot project, and read with students.

The minister's visit to Kootenay Christian Academy is significant, Bennett said.

"They are a private school and they often get left out so this time they contacted me and wondered if the minister could come and see what they do."

Abbott has meetings scheduled with parents' groups, the principals and vice principals of Cranbrook schools, and dinner with the school board.

"He's really covering the whole gamut, the whole educational scenario here - all the way from students, teachers, board members, board staff, principals, vice principals, a private school - he's doing it all," said Bennett.

But a hefty chunk of Abbott's day will be spent at Mount Baker Secondary, an ageing facility that needs provincial funding to go ahead with replacing the school with a neighbourhood learning centre.

"We are doing a very thorough tour of Mount Baker Secondary School," said Bennett.

Abbott will meet with the Community Learning Group, a collaboration of parents, teachers, students, with representatives from Interior Health, the RCMP, the College of the Rockies, and United Way.

"Hopefully we'll present a very strong case for him as a community that Mount Baker needs to be replaced sooner rather than later, and when we do replace it, it's about more than the building," said Bennett.

"It's about trying to create something that integrates high-school students into our community and it gives them every opportunity that's available in this community, not just strictly educational opportunities."