Keeping small schools viable was forefront on the minds of candidates for the Ward 2 Foothills School Division trusteeship at a forum Oct. 11.
Keeping small schools viable was forefront on the minds of candidates for the Ward 2 Foothills School Division trusteeship at a forum Oct. 11.
Candidates Martha Klassen and Yvonne Sherman, a former teacher in Calgary and a volunteer at Blackie School, said the fact modernization for Cayley and Blackie schools tops the division's capital list is a healthy sign for the their future.
“I read that Blackie and Cayley were at the top of the modernization list,” Klassen told an audience of around 25 people. “And that is something I would definitely support.”
Although the closure of schools in the division has not been discussed at the trustees' table, the six candidates at the forum at Blackie School were asked by MD of Foothills Division 1 candidate Robert Siewert how they would keep schools in small communities alive and thriving.
The candidates vying for the seat to represent Ward 2, Heritage Heights-Davisburg-Blackie-Cayley as well as some parts west of High River are Bill Young, Vivienne Nicol, Toby Kliem, Jaimie Chouhan, Klassen and Sherman.
“Like Martha mentioned, they are putting into the schools and to me that seems like a good sign,” Sherman said. “But we have to keep fighting for our small school and our town.”
She said if there is a threat of closure, the communities have to be ready.
“We fought to keep the dump from being built, I think we can fight to keep the schools open,” she said.
Young reinforced the importance of a school in a hamlet or any community.
“A school is the culture of the community — you lose that school you lose that culture,” said Young, who taught in the division for more than 30 years. “We have to keep those schools open — it is going to cost money, but those schools have to remain open.”
Young said the division's surplus money in reserves could be used to help with issues such as transportation to smaller schools.
Kliem, who has children at Blackie School, said it is important to “champion their benefits” in regard to small schools.
Kliem, who has an IT background, said smaller classrooms in rural schools are an attraction to families from larger centres.
He added technology could also be used to bridge the gap between smaller and bigger schools.
“We got technology out there to bridge one classroom with talking to Commander Hatfield on the space station — he was talking to small schools all across Canada,” Kliem said. “Just because Blackie is a small town doesn't mean it has to have a small-school feel.”
Klassen called the schools the “lifeblood of the community.”
“When you are coming in from different farms, different places, the school is always the hub,” she said. “If we can keep promoting that and involve the MD in that, I can't see a problem in keeping schools open.”
Chouhan said she feels young families are starting to migrate to smaller communities.
“My generation is starting to migrate back to the small towns for the small town feel,” Chouhan said. “It will take time before my generation's kids are in school. In that timeframe we as trustees would have to push towards keeping the schools open.”
Nicol agreed schools are crucial to keeping rural communities alive. Rural schools are also unique.
“The comment about rural kids vs. urban is a very valid one because the needs of those children are somewhat different,” Nicol said. “A small school can respond to those needs. I know that in purely economic terms it might not make sense to keep them open, but in people terms, it certainly does.”
The candidates were asked to give their biggest concern in the ward and how they could help resolve that issues.
Nicol said the lack of government funding and money for Foothills School Division is a concern.
“I am going to be shaking the money tree and rattle my sabre at the provincial government,” Nicol said.
She said while the Province has provided some extra funds this year “we need to create more.”
Chouhan's concern was the surplus of money in the division's coffers.
“I believe the school division is sitting on a large surplus of capital which is poor use of our tax dollars,” Chouhan said. “If elected, I would work to have the money placed back in the classroom where it belongs.”
She said the dollars could be used to lower classroom sizes.
The Foothills School Division passed its 2017-18 budget of $93.489 million. With revenue of approximately $91.80 million, it is running a deficit budget of around $1.7 million.
School divisions must have a surplus in order to run a deficit budget.
The division has a surplus of $11.9 million.
Reserve funds have been used for such items as the $200,000 a year for the Classroom Program Innovative Project over the next five years. As well, $1.2 million will be earmarked towards a larger new gym at the K-9 school along 32 Street in Okotoks (scheduled to open in September 2019).
Klassen, a long-time school volunteer who has an accounting background, said there are “too many kids falling through the cracks… I want all students to look forward to going to school, to feel like they are an integral part of the community and be successful in what they try.”
Inclusion tops her list of concerns.
“I will always advocate for inclusion in all my discussions as a trustee,” Klassen said. She also has concerns about the curriculum, stating some of the programs are between eight and 30 years old.
“Obviously updating needs to be done,” she said.
The public's concern is Kliem's biggest concern.
“I want to hear from you — I have reached out through website, Facebook, and talking to people one-on-one to see what you want to see from your school board,” Kliem said. “My immediate concerns are making sure resources are available to maintain the programs and infrastructure.”
He would also like to work with other boards to share successes to “make the best environment for our kids moving forward.”
Young said diversity and economic standing is the biggest concern. He said the diversity is represented by the Hutterite colonies, acreage owners, ranchers, farmers, and families living in the hamlets of Ward 2.
“All these people come from a wide variety of socio-economic standing,” Young said. “Public education must include all levels of income… No child should be left behind. I will be a strong advocate for the equality of opportunity in the Foothills School Division.”
Sherman told the audience teachers and students need more support.
“Teachers need more support in the classroom,” she said. “The inclusive classroom has put considerable amount of pressure on our teachers.”
She said with the support of educational assistants and occupational therapists “our children have a better learning environment. Parents need additional support and guidance to allow their children to thrive in school.”
She said teachers, educational assistants, occupational therapists and administrators must make it a priority to assess the needs of all students.
The election is Monday.
