Regional Office, Barrhead – 

No schools will be considered for closure next year
The school board accepted administration’s recommendation that no schools be considered for closure this year. According to Policy 15, each year administration reviews the division’s schools against the following criteria to determine if a school or program should be considered for closure:

• Are there health and safety threats?
• Is the school hitting a critical minimum enrolment?
• How many students are expected to attend in the future?
• Are fewer than 60 per cent of the students in the school’s attendance area attending the school?
• Does operating the school create excessive costs for the division?

In making this recommendation to the board, administration also considered the quality of education programming the students are receiving.

Only one school – Fort Assiniboine – met the minimum enrolment criteria to be considered for closure. The school’s junior high has 17 students, which falls under the critical minimum enrolment of 20. This was the only criteria that was met. The difference is not significant enough to warrant consideration for closure for the 2018-19 school year.

Trustees prepare for provincial meetings
The school board reviewed material for the upcoming Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta (PSBAA) Annual General Meeting and the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) Fall General Meeting.

There will be a Legacy Panel Discussion on Public Education in conjunction with the PSBAA Annual General Meeting. The following cabinet ministers will be in attendance:

• Hon. David Eggen, Minister of Education
• Hon. Sarah Hoffman, Deputy Premier, Minister of Health
• Hon. Joe Ceci, President of Treasury, Minister of Finance
• Hon. Richard Feehan, Minister of Indigenous Relations
• Hon. Christina Gray, Minister of Labour, Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal

The Moderator for the Panel is MLA Annie McKitrick, Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Education.

At the ASBA Fall General Meeting, school boards across the province will discuss and vote on various proposed policy positions including:

• Requesting the government undertake a comprehensive review of the K-12 Funding Framework, and the effectiveness of the emphasis on per student funding formulas
• Requesting the government renew and re-dedicate their commitment to continuous improvement for student and family “wrap-around” services
• Requesting that all school zones in the province be harmonized with municipal playground speeds to reflect the same 30 km/hour speed limits from 7:30 a.m. until 1 hour after sunset
• Funding for high schools

The next school board meeting is on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at the PHPS Regional Office in Barrhead starting at 9:30 a.m. The public is welcome to attend.