School budget talks got underway this week under a cloud of uncertainty as COVID-19 cases mount while funds to keep schools safe next year are in expected to dry up.
Among the biggest concerns are keeping staff and student morale high and avoiding layoffs, according to presentations to trustees during a Zoom meeting.
The Feb. 16 public input opportunity was a chance for teachers, parents and support workers to give their wishlists for the 2021/’22 School District 43 (SD43) budget.
And it was clear that many are still struggling with the impacts of COVID-19 and are concerned about the next several months until a vaccine is widely distributed.
While trustees were warned not to expect any more provincial and federal COVID-19 cash next year as this year’s $13.6-million allotment runs out, the potential for layoffs had Coquitlam teachers concerned.
Noting that teachers have been dealing “face front every day” with COVID-19, including falling sick themselves or being exposed to students who are sick, Coquitlam Teachers Association president Ken Christensen said the past year has had “high personal cost.”
“There are a thousand little victories here,” he said, “but they are largely unheralded,” he said.
Christensen said the federal and provincial money over the last year has “blunted the impact” of what might have happened but he expressed concern about layoffs without the extra funds next year.
“Maintain the status quo in terms of teacher employment,” he urged, saying that teachers shouldn’t have to deal with increasing stress and uncertainty.
Parents also expressed concerns about challenges in the classroom, and asked for more mental health resources and training for staff and students especially for anti-bullying.
ANTI-BULLYING EFFORTS SOUGHT
With students required to stick to their cohorts for long periods, with little mixing with other students, District Parent Advisory Council president Marvin Klassen said “situations” between students can ”increase.”
“There is very little space for their issues to be aired out,” Klassen said as he called for more school counsellors and additional training for lunch supervisors and other part-time staff.
Students also asked for additional mental health resources and counsellors.
Said Annika Coxe, co-chair of the Student Leadership Council, “students need to just sit down and talk with somebody and they can get the help they need.”
With the province delaying its budget until April 20, the next glimpse of the district’s plans won’t be until April 13, when a preliminary budget will be revealed with the district having to predict provincial grants based on enrolment.
But some figures will remain murky, including international education revenue, after international education enrolment dropped steeply last year, resulting in a $6-million loss in tuition fees.
Thanks to federal and provincial grants, however, the school district was able to retain and deploy 66 FTE teaching positions as well as 19 FTE custodians and four educational assistant positions.
Still, SD43 may not be able to keep those jobs for the next school year.
International education enrolment lost even more students this month as some students graduated and went home. Last September, there were 1,075 international students; the number was 1,037 for February.
Meanwhile, SD43 must also provide $5 million for the construction of Sheffield elementary school.
$5 MILLION FOR NEW COQUITLAM SCHOOL
Priced at about $43 million, the school for 430 students on Burke Mountain is costly to construct because the site topography requires extensive work; however, SD43 said the final bill is still expected to be $9 million less than what the ministry had budgeted, at $52 million.
The school is expected to open in spring 2022 but whether a child care will be on site hasn’t yet been decided, SD43 spokesperson Ken Hoff said.
Construction work also continues on new board and administration offices. Costing $36 million and located at 1100 Winslow Ave., the new education centre is expected to open in early 2022.
