Students of Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School (PCVS) are protesting the Administrative Review Committee (ARC) of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board's (KPRDSB) recent decision to close the school. The school is in Peterborough's downtown core and students argue that closing down the school would violate the Province's "Places to Grow Act," which requires cities to intensify land in downtown areas. Students and supporters argue the school is unique, as students and teachers alike are passionately committed to arts, social justice and inclusion.
Many schools across the province are facing major budget shortfalls, and according to a recent report, it is libraries that bear the brunt of cost-cutting measures. In the 2009-2010 year, parents and schools were able to raise 1.2 million dollars to keep school libraries afloat. However, dollars raised varied widely according to neighbourhood income, underscoring the reality that those living in poorer communities suffer most when budget cuts are made.
Vancouver Sun journalist Peter McMartin suggests that following the Edmonton model of diversifying schools and offering more choice may help save Vancouver's public schools. Read the article in the Vancouver Sun.
Vancouver School Board is proposing a moratorium on school closures until 2012. The board is exploring options for keeping schools open from creating childcare centres within schools to offering diverse and specialized programming to attract new students. Minister of Education, Margaret MacDiarmid has made it clear however, that the school board will not be receiving any new funding to help keep schools open. The Edmonton School Board has also placed a moratorium on school closures. Read the story in the Edmonton Journal.
Newly elected Edmonton School Trustee Sarah Hoffman is calling for a two-year moratorium on school closures to give the Edmonton Public School board time to find alternatives to closure. The Board has closed 18 schools in the past decade, and Hoffman notes that the sector is considering another 70 schools for closure. Hoffman's motion goes to the Edmonton Public School Board on November 30th. Meanwhile, over the same 10 year period,BC has seen 191 school closures.
An East Vancouver school on the verge of being shut down due to decreased enrollment is hoping to attract new students by introducing multicultural arts-based programs. Read article in Vancouver Sun.
Faced with declining enrollment, many schools are taking on a dual role, acting as a school by day and a community hub by night. Schools throughout the Metro Vancouver region are now offering ESL classes, art and sports programs plus community services. Read the full story in The Tyee.
The BC Liberals maintain that education gets more money every year, and that teachers are misrepresenting the situation by asking for more funding. However, a close analysis shows that current funding fails to meet the true cost of sustaining public schools, resulting in a structural funding shortfall. Read the full story in The Tyee.
The Vancouver School Board is not the only school district having difficulty meeting budget shortfalls. Across the Province, school boards are contemplating school closures, layoffs and reductions in classroom support for students. Read article in The Province here.
The Vancouver School Board says it's getting ready to lay off dozens of staff, close at least one school, and shorten the school year by 10 days, citing an $18.1-million deficit it blames on the provincial government. Provincial funding for schools has failed to keep pace with rising labor costs and mandated energy -efficiency retrofits for buildings. Read the full story in The Globe and Mail.
