By Troy Gillard

Support staff cuts

Support staff layoffs on the way for Clearview Public Schools

Apr 13, 2020 | 12:21 PM

Officials with Clearview Public Schools say layoff notices are going out this week to support staff affected by funding cuts by the provincial government.

On March 28, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced $128 million in K-12 funding was being redirected to the province’s COVID-19 response. Clearview says it was informed by Alberta Education that for transportation services their reduction would be for three months (April, May, June) totaling $362,763, and for education their reduction would be for two months (May, June) totaling $328,126.

In a release, the district says its senior leaders met with each school principal to understand their needs and staffing priorities, and then met with the Board of Trustees to review all information to determine next steps for school-based support staff.

“The determination for next steps was not made lightly. We know all staff are important to the learning success for our students and please know we value their work,” says Superintendent Peter Barron. “Unfortunately, with the current learning environment and the decision by the Alberta Government to reduce educational funding, Clearview is now in the difficult position to make decisions that reflect the current learning environment and reflect current priorities with less resources.”

On Thursday, the Board of Trustees on April 9 determined that Clearview Public Schools will continue to provide early learning (Pre-K and K) educational assistants “where this makes sense and where the staff member would like to continue.”

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Trustees also decided that a determination as to which school-based support staff will be maintained after April will be done centrally, and in consultation with school principals.

As well, to ensure fairness and provide clear expectations as to which school-based support staff would continue for May and June, the district says the following guideline is to be used:

“Clearview recognizes all school support staff are important for student success. With the current learning environment, we are seeking to maintain support staff that are critical to support at-risk or high needs students who need that additional support, in recognition that the Alberta Government has reduced available education funding.”

Schools, in their conversations with Central Services, are to use the guideline above (in consideration of the current learning environment) to provide information on the supports a student at-risk or with a high need will require.

Clearview Public Schools says it has committed that staff who will be furloughed at the end of April will be able to access the following supports:

• Continuation of Health Spending Benefits (if applicable)

• Continuation of the Staff Wellness Account Benefits (if applicable)

• Continuation of access to the Employee Family Assistance Program supports

• Sick leave upon return to the same amount (if applicable)

• Continuation of ASEBP benefits to the end of August (if applicable and if you were already on ASEBP benefits). Clearview will pay 100% of the cost of benefits (for both full-time and part-time staff) until the end of August unless otherwise recalled to work.

Staffing impacted by a reduction will receive a two-week notice on either April 15 or April 16 for an effective date of May 1.