(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

year in review

Advocacy and overcoming budget challenges highlight 2019 for Red Deer Public Schools

Dec 28, 2019 | 2:26 PM

The last year was one of challenges, but also of successful advocacy on multiple fronts by Red Deer Public Schools.

Challenges arose with respect to the division’s financial situation, which faced $3.7 million more in losses than they’d anticipated, thanks to the provincial budget which came down in October.

“We are in an enviable position compared to a lot of other school jurisdictions as we had built up solid reserves over the years,” says Nicole Buchanan, board chair. “We have taken $3 million out of our reserves, and we’ve made $2 million in cuts at the school level by reducing expenses, and then we reduced central services spending by $1 million.”

There continues to be no impact on the classroom, she adds.

Other challenges include what Buchanan describes as the “changing landscape of education.”

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“With a new government, there’s been uncertainty for education. It’s important for our board to be responsible and meet the needs of our students in our community.”

Buchanan says the school board is proud of its advocacy towards maintaining the term ‘public’ in its name. As she’s stated in the past, she reiterates that ‘public’ is just as important as ‘Catholic’ is to Red Deer’s other school division.

“Another highlight for us this year came at the fall general meeting of the ASBA where we passed a vaping resolution. Our board continues to lead the way when it comes to seeking tougher vaping laws to protect youth,” she says. “We put forward a motion — which was unanimously supported — urging all levels of government to align restrictions on the consumption, promotion, marketing and sale of vaping products with those on tobacco products.”

The division also undertook community engagement early in 2019 to come up with a slate of core values, which eventually came to include the terms respectful, healthy, responsible, resilient, curious and collaborative.

“We want our whole community to be aware and have confidence in these values,” says Buchanan.

There was also the opening of the $18 million Westpark Middle School, she notes.

“In 2020, our main focus remains the capital project at Hunting Hills for the roof, mechanical and expansion work there,” Buchanan continues. “We are hopeful that will come down in the spring budget, and we want to work with the government the best way we can to make sure that regardless of whatever comes our way with the budget, there’s very little impact to the classroom.”