With elementary band and strings apparently preserved, the most common case made at the Vancouver School Board’s final public meeting about its 2014-2015 budget Monday night was for retaining the district athletics coordinator.
Following three packed public meetings on the budget April 15 to 17, 28 delegations signed up to address the board for the last time before trustees make final budget decisions April 30.
John Puddifoot, first vice president of the board of the B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils and a representative of Lord Byng secondary’s parent advisory council, estimated the VSB could save $6 million if it increased class sizes by one student.
Puddifoot, a business owner, suggested the district could get trades teachers and students working on school building maintenance to save money, fix facilities and further trades certifications.
“I don’t know if the contract would allow that but it’s worth investigating and you might even get money from the province as a pilot project to certify these tradespeople,” he said.
Four continuing education instructors spoke to defend the threatened program. Longtime instructor James Neufeld told the board that course programmers unanimously agreed they could advertise classes so the board could cut an administrator’s position and save $88,000.
Superintendent Steven Cardwell said the board is close to an agreement with a post-secondary institution that would manage continuing education classes in VSB facilities. VSB secretary-treasurer Rick Krowchuk said continuing education has lost money for at least a decade.
Parents and students involved with the gifted learning disabled program asked the board not to eliminate one of its 12 full-time equivalent education psychologists and to continue the position of gifted education consultant.
Mother Robin Ferries says struggling students who aren’t properly assessed can become suicidal, depressed or develop behavioural problems that make it even harder for their needs to be met.
Ferries said her son’s school experiences were “excruciating” until a specially trained education psychologist assessed his aptitudes and disabilities.
Two delegations opposed cutting a South Asian multicultural liaison worker.
Amir Ramola said a multicultural worker helped his family understand the school system and sort out behaviour problems and upsetting incidents. He noted a multicultural worker organizes Diwali festivities at his daughter’s school and the celebration gave her a place to show off her dancing skills with pride.
The number of newcomer South Asian and Vietnamese students has dwindled so the VSB proposes cutting a multicultural worker for each population, leaving the equivalent of 2.5 South Asian multicultural workers and three Vietnamese ones.
Gwen Giesbrecht and Jane Bouey, representing the Public Education Project, NDP MLAs David Eby and Jenny Kwan and parents from Protect Public Education Now argued that the provincial government must better fund public education.
Activist Isabel Minty suggested seniors like her should donate $50 to $100 or more to the VSB or PACs twice a year because the district needs money and she doesn’t expect more will come from the provincial government.
The VSB faces a projected shortfall of $11.65 million for 2014-2015 and must deliver a balanced budget to the province. Staff expect to spend approximately 92 per cent of the VSB’s $497.19 million budget on salaries and benefits. The board has had to cut $47 million over the past 12 years.
The final 2014-2015 budget meeting, April 30, starts at 7 p.m. at 1580 West Broadway.
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