FYI Dear Ms. Salter-Kelly: Honourable Diana McQueen, MLA for Drayton Valley-Devon, forwarded your March 3, 2014 email regarding your concerns with the possible closure of Pipestone and Lakedell Schools. As Minister of Education, I am pleased to respond on behalf of government. I assure you that government values Alberta’s small and rural communities. Each child in Alberta is entitled to an education that prepares them to be citizens who participate in a global economy. The Ministry of Education is committed to helping school boards achieve this standard, and as a parent of children who attend school in a rural area, I recognize the importance of equitable access to education, regardless of location. Education recognizes that school boards operating rural schools face unique challenges in operating and maintaining their schools. Many rural schools are small, and transportation costs are increasing. Education has provided rural boards with additional funding to meet these costs. For example, a Small Schools by Necessity Grant is provided to assist boards operating rural schools. Education staff are continually monitoring the challenges and costs faced by boards operating small rural schools to ensure they are receiving appropriate support. Provincial funding is provided directly to locally elected school boards, which then allocate resources to their respective schools based on local priorities and student needs. School boards and schools have the authority and flexibility to determine how funds should be spent to meet the educational needs of the students in their communities. Similarly, school boards are responsible for planning new schools, maintaining and repairing existing schools and making decisions about school closures. Boards have this responsibility because locally elected trustees are in the best position to evaluate and respond to the unique circumstances and priorities of the communities they serve. For this reason, government respects the autonomy of school boards to make these types of decisions. The Closure of Schools Regulation sets out basic requirements regarding the school closure process including notifications, public meetings, decision and timelines. The Regulation also specifies that a school board must provide members of the community with an opportunity to express their opinions, concerns and ideas on the matter. I am aware that Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools has an extensive community engagement plan for gathering community feedback about the possible closure. The school jurisdiction has posted a report regarding this consultation on their website at wrps.ab.ca/. Until a decision is made by the board regarding these potential closures, presentations from parents and community members can be made at one of the scheduled board meetings. Dates for upcoming board meetings can also be found on the school jurisdiction’s website. I encourage you and other parents and community members to maintain dialogue with your local school administrators and school board trustees at Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools to ensure your priorities and concerns are well understood. Contact information for school jurisdiction administration can be found on Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools’ website at wrps.ab.ca/division-office/contact-information and for trustees at wrps.ab.ca/trustees/meet-our-trustees. I understand that you have previously spoken with a member of Education staff regarding this matter. Should you require further assistance, please contact Christine Bouchard, Education Manager, Central Services, at [email protected] or at 780-422-6503 (dial 310-0000 first for toll-free access). I appreciate you writing to share your concerns, and I commend your advocacy on behalf of students and as the chair of the Lakedell Parent Council. Sincerely, Jeff Johnson Minister of Education MLA, Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater cc: Honourable Diana McQueen MLA for Drayton Valley-Devon Honourable Verlyn Olson MLA for Wetaskiwin-Camrose
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 20:53:41 +0000
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