School days cancelled in High River, Okotoks as cost-saver

The school year will end two days earlier for students in Okotoks, High River and five other southern Alberta towns after principals were told the division was looking for ways to cut costs.

In an e-mail sent to school principals, Supt. Michael O'Brien of Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools wrote that he was cancelling classes on June 28 and 29 amid budget concerns.

"This was done primarily to address the significant fiscal reality we are facing," O'Brien said in the e-mail, which was in turn forwarded to parents by individual schools this week.

"I felt cancelling classes was prudent at this time because the disruption to learning is minimized on these 2 days in June. Obviously transportation will be cancelled for all students on these 2 days."

In the letter the superintendent says funding to the division was "clawed back" this year by the provincial government and he expects a "shortfall" for next year.

O'Brien also notes the schools will have to cover teacher salary increases next year.

In an interview, the superintendent said the reality is that other than busing costs, the division won't really be saving much money at all by giving students two days off.

Teachers and staff are expected to be at work Monday and Tuesday, as per their contracts.

"We still have to turn the lights on," O'Brien said. "We'll save some money, not a lot, a few dollars, because we'll shut our busing system down."

The superintendent said he didn't know how much money the division, with students travelling to 16 schools in Canmore, Brooks, Drumheller, High River, Okotoks, Oyen and Strathmore, will save on transportation, but that it was likely less than $100,000.

O'Brien backed away slightly from his original e-mail, telling the Herald it was while searching for ways to save money that he noticed the last two days of school this year fell on a Monday and Tuesday. When he wasn't able to find any place to save money, he decided to cancel those two days, so that the school year will end on a Friday.

"We're not cancelling school for two days to save $100,000," he said. "The catalyst for me to look at the calendar again was money. I was looking for ways to save money. But other than transportation I couldn't find any."

In the end, he said, he found a way to make students happy and spare them from attending classes at a time when the "learning value" is low. "Anytime that I can give them a couple more days in the summer they're happy."

One parent said he suspects the move by the school division is intended to make a statement to the provincial government.

Adam Moore, whose two daughters attend St. Mary's in Okotoks, says it's a sign the province is not putting the right focus on education.

"In the grand scheme of things it's probably not the end of the world, as far as the education goes," he said of the last two days being cancelled. "But it's just another sign that the government is cutting back spending in areas that really affect the education for my kids."

dtetley@theherald.canwest.com

This article was published in the Calgary Herald on April 29, 2010. Read the full article on the CalgaryHearald.com website.