Vernon

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Trustees not to blame for cuts

Vernon Morning Star

April 29, 2010

It would be easy to blame Vernon School District trustees for the local crisis in education.

After all, it it was the board that raised its hands to eliminate 25 full-time equivalent jobs, with teachers taking the biggest hit, as a way of addressing a $2.1 million shortfall. As a result of the trustees’ decision, some programs could be eliminated entirely.

However, such a response would be simplistic and not acknowledge the reality that our elected trustees are pawns. They do the dirty work and hand out the pink slips, but it is the Ministry of Education that has complete control over the purse strings. Yes enrolment continues to decline, but provincial funding has not kept up with the actual cost of doing business and it’s that mismanagement that’s to blame. Read more

Deficit forces Vernon School District staff cuts

April 29, 2010

Richard Rolke, Vernon Morning Star

Vernon School District officials admit sweeping cuts will have a direct impact in classrooms.

The strategy to cope with a $2.1 million deficit includes eliminating almost 25 full-time equivalent staff positions and reducing resources.

“None of them were made easily,” said Bev Rundell, superintendent, of the trustees’ decisions.

As a result of 17 full-time equivalent teachers being laid off, the pupil-teacher ratio will climb from 18.1 to one to 18.5 to one.

“There might be one more student in every class,” said Rundell. Read more

School districts still struggling

Vernon Morning Star: March 4, 2010

Liberal MLAs are slapping themselves on the back over Tuesday’s budget, and taking credit for prudent fiscal management and increased spending for critical social services.

However, B.C.’s school districts are still facing a significant financial crisis well beyond the circumstances created by decreasing enrolment. Read article

Districts still predicting cuts

Richard Rolke – Vernon Morning Star

March 4, 2010

The financial picture has improved but school districts claim they’re still not out of the woods.

Tuesday’s provincial budget provides money for facilities maintenance and overall funding for education is being increased.

“We definitely will still have a shortfall but it should be less,” said Bill Turanski, Vernon School District chairman.

The district will continue to plan for a $2.5 million shortfall for 2010/11 until it receives specific funding details from the Ministry of Education. Read article

Team approach taken over funding cuts

Vernon Morning Star: October 15, 2009

A unified front has been launched to fight education funding cuts.

The Vernon School District, the Vernon Teachers Association, CUPE local 5523 and the District Parents Advisory Council have written a letter to Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid protesting recent financial policies.

“I think it’s a powerful statement that all four parties agree,” said Bruce Cummings, VTA president.

The four groups also presented their case to Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster Tuesday.
Frustration revolves around the loss of the $1.6 million annual facility grant and the parent advisory councils’ lack of access to gaming grants. Funding for districts also didn’t keep pace with the cost of living.

“The cuts have gone too far. Children’s education is being affected,” said Mark Olsen, CUPE president.

As a result of the annual facility grant being eliminated, 13 temporary employees have been laid off and major projects cancelled, including new roofs at six schools.

Four full-time tradesmen may also be laid off, but they will be retained for the current year after money was diverted from student technology equipment.

Olsen says the grant was eliminated after budgets had been approved and projects initiated.

“It was unfair to the district and trustees trying to manage a budget that keeps disappearing,” he said.

PACs recently learned they will only receive half of the gaming grants they generally get, and that will mean less money for equipment, programs and supplies.

“It comes right down to the classroom,” said Pam Hargreaves, DPAC president.

Hargreaves doesn’t believe parents can fill the void on their own.

“Parents are tapped out. They are fundraised to the max,” she said.

The four groups are asking the government to fully fund increased costs to districts, reverse all of the cuts made in the past month, fund the cost of H1N1 prevention, grant HST rebates to districts and to fully fund all-day kindergarten implementation.

“If they don’t fund it, should we be doing it?” said Cummings of initiatives like expanding kindergarten and addressing swine flu.

Cummings suggests the ministry could save money elsewhere such as scrapping mandatory government exams in Grades 10 and 11 when they are optional in Grade 12.

“Exams are expensive,” he said.

The four organizations will continue to pressure Victoria, but Hargreaves is urging parents to get involved.

“We’re asking individual PACs to write the minister,” she said.

Contact Vernon MLA Eric Foster (BC Liberal)