Steve Goodall, from the Airdrie Council of School Councils, challenged a recent Rocky View Schools (RVS) decision to recommend Alberta Education relocate portables from Langdon to Prince of Peace Lutheran School, located east of Calgary.
ìWe feel that those resources should be going to other schools, and we should take care of other students within Rocky View School Division first,î Goodall said to the RVS trustees during the April 19 board meeting in Airdrie.
The two modular units, recommended for relocation from Langdon to Prince of Peace by the RVS trustees on March 15, went against the boardís own policies, Goodall said.
The board requested eight portables be moved from Langdon and eight more be built at Edwards Elementary, Manachaban Middle School, and Nose Creek Elementary.
Alberta Education did not approve the eight new portables.
ìThe relocation of the units from Langdon to Prince of Peace should not be the first priority,î Goodall said.
Prince of Peaceís portables came first in the RVS March 15 recommendation, followed by Airdrieís Muriel Clayton and Edwards Elementary, Chestermereís Rainbow Creek, and Airdrieís George McDougall getting two of the remaining six units, each.
Goodall referred to the RVS School Attendance Areas Policy (IC-6), which states parents may request their child be enrolled in a school other than the school the student has been designated to attend, on the condition ìthere is sufficient facility space, personnel and resources in the school.î
Goodall said he understands that Prince of Peaceís current utilization rate of 99 per cent is high, but that the majority of the students who attend the school (approximately 55 per cent) donít reside within RVSí boundaries.
He added the current growth projections for Prince of Peace could mostly be attributed to more students enrolling from Calgary or siblings of current students from out of the RVS boundaries being grandfathered in.
Goodall also pointed out the RVS Attendance Areas Policy has multiple references to Albertaís School Act, including a statement that resident students of the board who reside in the attendance area are to be given priority over those who donít when there are insufficient resources.
He asked that the original motion to move the portables be rescinded and RVS make subsequent recommendation, with the Attendance Areas Policy in mind, or that the trustees adjust their own policy.
ìWe realize there are some hard decisions you guys have to make,î Goodall said.
ìBut we just want to know that when these hard decisions are made that policy is followed.î
RVS trustee Norma Lang proposed a motion to broker a meeting between the trustees and a representative from Alberta Education with expertise in interpreting the Alberta School Act.
ìThe school act supercedes board policy,î Lang said.
Trustee Sylvia Eggerer asked her colleagues to defeat the motion, saying the board should seek legal advice in the matter and make a subsequent motion to change their policies.
Trustee Don Thomas agreed with Eggerer, saying time was of the essence and the public looks to the board to be accountable for their decisions.
ìIt is clear our policy (IC-6.2) was not followed by the motion that was passed on March 15,î said trustee Don Thomas.
ìI think we were elected to make decisions, not to necessarily interpret or seek interpretation when it seems to me itís relatively clear.î
After making several amendments to Langís motion, including having the meeting take place before May 17 so any changes could be done before the 2012-2013 school year, the board voted in favour, with Thomas and Eggerer opposed.
