Both Okotoks area school boards were able to withstand adjustments to their budgets in 2019 and superintendents are curious to see what will happen in 2020.
“I am not going to put the budget in the past, that is an ongoing challenge and discussion,” said Foothills School Division superintendent Chris Fuzessy about adjustments to 2019-2020 finances after the provincial government announced its budget in October. “We have launched an internal consultation with an external consultation to follow through the winter into the spring on the unknown of the upcoming budget.”
The external consultation involves the public. For information go to https://www.fsd38.ab.ca/view.php?action=object&id=11238&stream=News
The division had budget for a $2.6 million deficit on its $97.26 million budget in June but that deficit was boosted to $4.5 million in November due to changes in the provincial funding announced in October and the division's skyrocketing insurance cost.
The division was able to reduce costs without affecting the classroom or combining classes.
Scott Morrison, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools superintendent, said it pinched pennies to make adjustments to its budget due to insurance and the reduction in provincial funding.
“The two greatest challenges is working with the budget we have and ensuring that we can live within our means,” Morrison said. “We are pretty close to a completely balanced budget right now. We have done a good job of reducing our discretionary spending and tightening up our accounting to ensure we weren’t exaggerating our expense… We’re very proud of that.”
Morrison wouldn’t predict what the outcome of the next provincial budget will be, expected to be announced in the early spring.
“That is obviously an unknown,” Morrison said. “We just constantly have to look at every penny we spend and say: “Is this absolutely necessary and is it a basic need in education?”
Divisions are now allowed to charge student fees again. Morrison said the division is already working with principals as to keep any potential fees to a minimum and equitable in the new school year.
Morrison said a highlight of 2019 for CTR Catholic was the success of the #Relationships in a Digital Age program.
#Relationships in a Digital Age deals with students awareness of cellphone and computer use — while not banning the needed technology it stresses how to build relationship and to ease students’ anxiety which may be tied to social media and cell phone use.
“We got very positive feedback from staff, students and parents,” Morrison said. “An interesting way to measure is we send out posts to parents to raise the awareness of the program. We went from 8,000 hits to 16,000 hits. That’s an indication we are raising awareness in the home.”
The establishment of the ARC-EA (Attachment, Regulation and Competence— Education Assistants) was also a milestone.
“We retrained education-assistants to work with kids who are struggling with self regulations,” Morrison said. “They (students) are just not available to learn because they dealing with other issues.
“The EAs have a set lesson plan that they work with kids for upwards of 30 minutes to 40 minutes a day… To help them focus on their personal wellness.”
Fuzessy began with the Foothills division since June and it's been a steep learning curve.
“I would say the highlight is building team — there was a good team that existed — from the standpoint as a new member building that team together," he said. “And finalizing our rewriting of Policy 1 which sets our direction for the next several years for the board and the division — learner engagement, support and success.
“Those are our two highlights.”
A key to Policy 1 is the word “learner” it’s not just Jack and Jill at their desks anymore.
“The definition of learner has changed from students only to students and staff members — how do we engage support and success with all or our learners and by extension out into the community as well.
“That is also a focus for the board and the division is to engage entirely with the community.”
Of course, a highlight of 2019 for the public school division was the opening of the new Meadow Ridge School at the start of the school year.
As for further question marks in 2020, the proposed implementation of the new K to Grade 4 curriculum in September will be a challenge.
“It’s unprecedented,” Morrison said. “Usually you change one subject over the course of four years… In this case, it is all six curriculums in Kindergarten to Grade 4. We have never experienced that.
“We have been planning for that for the past year, but it is hard to accelerate the planning because we don’t have the final draft of the curriculum.”
It is a ‘concept-based’ curriculum, he said.
For example he said while a fact like democracy started in Athens will continue to be taught, the curriculum would delve deeper into the concept of democracy.
As for 2020, Morrison said the division would like to hear an announcement of a new school in the D’Arcy area.
