EDMONTON – The start of the school can be an anxious time for kids, but some parents are also anxious – even frustrated – as they learn about the challenges being caused by tight budgets.
“When a principal calls kids together and talks about budget cuts and what the impacts may be at the school..of course as a parent that raises my anxiety level,” says Sarah Meffen, whose daughter attends the Nellie McClung program at Avonmore school.
The concerned mother explains that her daughter’s program went from having six teachers in 2011 to half that amount last year.
“They’ve also just lost their vice-principal of the school,” adds Meffen. “And the message to the kids (at a general assembly on Tuesday) was, ‘if you want to have your student extra-curricular activities and sports, we need volunteers and we need parents to step up and fundraise.'”
When she spoke to the school’s principal, Meffen says she was told teachers are burnt out.
“There’s too much burden being placed on them. My concern as a mother is what that impact is on my child?”
“The reality is some our schools are facing challenges this year, whether with class sizes or with the use of alternative instructional spaces,” admits Dajana Fabjanovich, with Edmonton Public Schools, which cut 399 positions last June when the budget was finalized.
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“With that being said, principals across the district are not just working diligently, but collaboratively with their teaching staff to ensure that learning isn’t compromised. That’s our number one priority.”
She encourages parents who are worried to schedule an appointment to speak with their child’s principal. The Alberta Teacher’s Association suggests parents go one step further: take concerns up with their local MLA.
“What we’re seeing is the tip of the iceberg. This is a system under pressure,” says Mark Ramsankar with the ATA. “The Government of Alberta has promised that they will put money into education and they haven’t come across. And I think the responsibility is theirs. And if parents want to get involved, if Albertans want to get involved in this process, they need to take this up with the Government of Alberta.”
With files from Vinesh Pratap, Global News
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