In response to the Alberta Government redirecting $128 million away from education funding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 240 Rocky View Schools (RVS) employees will be laid off next month.
According to an April 10 announcement from RVS, the public school division is reducing staffing costs by $3.46 million and transportation by $1.57 million.
“With the government announcement of the reduction of our funding, this was an unfortunate reality of that decision,” said RVS board chair Fiona Gilbert.
According to Gilbert, the cuts will affect half of RVS’ educational assistants, as well as librarians, library assistants, school secretaries and support staff at the division’s Education Centre in Airdrie.
She added the layoffs are intended to be temporary.
“We value everybody and we’re holding government to their commitment that these are temporary funding adjustments,” she said. “Once schools are reopened and students return, we expect government to provide funding so we can come back to a full team and a full complement of staff.”
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The government announced the education cuts in late March, after schools were closed March 15 to help limit the spread of COVID-19. The Alberta Teachers Association estimated the cuts would affect more than 25,000 workers in the public education sector.
Since then, school districts across the province have transitioned to at-home learning, using webcam programs to connect students and teachers.
“We are in unprecedented times, and both governments and businesses are making difficult decisions,” said Education Minister Adriana LaGrange during question period in a legislature sitting March 31.
“This pandemic has changed how our education system functions and, like the private sector, we are still adapting to this new reality. This is a temporary measure that will be reversed when classes resume.”
Gilbert said volunteer layoffs will also be considered to help mitigate RVS’ staffing situation.
“As far as I’m aware, there have been a few who have already stepped up and I anticipate there will be more as well,” she said. “It depends on everyone’s personal circumstance and situation – what works best for them.
“If there is anyone who would like to volunteer to be laid off, that wouldn’t necessarily adjust the total number, but it might mean someone in a different staff group would volunteer to be laid off, and therefore, we could keep another learning assistant working with students.”
The laid off employees were given four weeks’ notice, according to Gilbert, meaning they will continue working until May 10.
“Those staff are continuing to work and process through that transition of helping students get accustomed to the online learning environment, helping teachers, and that kind of thing,” she said. “They’re still very much involved in that process, and as we pivot our operations to at-home learning, the learning assistants who are there have been key to connecting with students.
"Everyone is valuable to connecting to students.”
RVS is also trimming its transportation funding by more than $1.5 million for the remainder of the school year, and Gilbert said the district is renegotiating its contract with bussing providers.
Laid off employees will be eligible to apply for various government relief programs that have been announced, Gilbert said, such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
Meanwhile, RVS will continue to pay for their benefit premiums.
“That includes health, dental, long-term disability, accidental death, those kinds of things,” Gilbert said. “Those benefits will continue through this time and that’s 100 per cent board paid.”
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
