CORRECTION: This story's headline has been updated to show that RVS trustees did not vote on any items related to the potential renaming of George McDougall High School
RVS issued this statement to AirdrieToday on the matter following the original publication of the story:
"Following careful review of the independent information provided, input provided by administration from Stoney Nakoda First Nations and the many different perspectives shared from community members, the board does not have the clarity necessary to consider renaming the school at this time," the statement reads.
Rocky View Schools (RVS) Superintendent Greg Luterbach provided a brief update on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the public school division during the March 10 board of trustees meeting.
The board covered several topics following his update, including the name of George McDougall High School in Airdrie, a new board meeting schedule, and the 2022-23 budget development process and priorities.
George McDougall
In a report from the board planning committee, board chair and Ward 6 (Cochrane) trustee Fiona Gilbert noted there was a discussion over the last few months around documentation and feedback regarding the naming of George McDougall High School in Airdrie.
There was a call-out among some residents last year to rename the school, following the discovery of thousands of unmarked graves at former residential school sites around the country. McDougall, who was an 19th-century Methodist missionary, had a role in the founding of the McDougall Orphanage and Home west of Calgary in 1875, which later became the Morley Indian Residential School after his passing.
The committee decided not to pursue a review of the school’s name and retain the current name of George McDougall High.
An independent report from Know History Historical Services objective information was provided on who McDougall was and his involvement with Indigenous peoples of the region, including connections to residential schools.
According to Gilbert, there was discussion between RVS trustees and Stoney Nakoda First Nations administration, as well as a look at unsolicited feedback from community members and school alumni.
Gilbert clarified that the planning committee was asked if they wanted to consider renaming the school at this time, which was not supported, meaning George McDougall High School would retain its name at this time.
Ward 3 (Airdrie) Trustee Melyssa Bowen pointed out that there was no direct decision to retain the name, but that the decision was to not bring the discussion to a board meeting decision, as there was no support to consider renaming the school at this time.
COVID-19
COVID-related health measures across the province were removed through a three-step plan by the Government of Alberta starting last month. The required use of masks in schools and on buses, as well as the requirement to provide proof of immunization or negative rapid tests, were removed on Feb. 14.
According to Luterbach, these temporary measures were in place for a total of five weeks at RVS facilities.
Despite the removal of the mask requirement, government-provided masks and rapid tests were still made available to families.
“Some families took those and other families left them at the school,” Luterbach said.
All other school measures were lifted on March 1, which Luterbach said wasn’t a surprise to RVS staff.
The health measures that are continued throughout RVS include the use of the Alberta daily health checklist and encouraging staff and students to stay home when sick, hand-washing, optional masking, cleaning of high-touch surfaces, and enhanced ventilation practices within facilities. Luterbach said these measures are good health practices, even when not in a pandemic.
“We certainly have some staff, students, and visitors still choosing to wear masks. That’s certainly within their right and we support that,” Luterbach said.
Luterbach acknowledged acute staffing shortages faced by the division in January and early February, and was glad to say those shortages have subsided. RVS saw more cases of COVID-19 impacting staff in those months than they had seen in the previous 18 months combined, he added.
On the path back to normal operations, Luterbach pointed out there are RVS staff members who have never worked under normal circumstances, as well as students who have never attended school under normal circumstances.
Budget development
The board also approved the 2022-23 budget development process at the March 10 meeting, as well as the board’s priorities for the upcoming school year.
“We know it’s not an easy ‘wave your wand’ to put together a good budget for an almost $300 million organization and there’s lots of different pieces that go together as we create this,” said Gilbert.
In terms of the budget process, the board strategically looks at the previous year’s process and adjusts from there, according to Luterbach.
Work on the budget started in February with a look at the allocation formula, which included speaking with principals and hearing their feedback on spending.
The process builds on different sources, including enrolment projections, the provincial budget, and staff costs.
Despite a provincial budget being released on Feb. 24, there are no details about what it means to RVS, Luterbach said. There are broad government statements which are being interpreted to figure out how that impacts the budget.
Until RVS receives the dollar amount of funding, it is challenging, Luterbach said.
School enrolment projections are now finalized and reviewed by school principals, and priorities have been established by the board.
“I should be able to connect how we’re spending the money to the priorities, and yet there are some things that aren’t optional. We can’t say, ‘We’re not buying natural gas this year, good luck,’” Luterbach said.
While not all funding details are available, the allocation committee will finalize a school allocation formula next. RVS expects the funding manual and RVS funding profile by March 31, and schools won’t start working on their individual budgets until April 1.
The budget will be finalized and sent off to the Government of Alberta by May 31.
Gilbert explained the boards’ priorities provide “marching orders” for the superintendent.
“The budget committee is a committee that involves all trustees,” Luterbach said.
Priorities set at the budget committee level include advancing student success through school level support, enhancing innovative programming and learning spaces for students, improving literacy and numeracy skill development at all levels, as well as boosting mental health and wellness for students and staff.
The priorities are displayed in a circular graph, indicating they are of equal importance, Gilbert said.
Ward 5 Trustee Judi Hunter said as RVS moves to become a world-class learning organization, the focus on innovative programming is more important than ever for students. She added it was great to see the impact of their four-year plan during the school tours across RVS.
“It was evident in every school we went to and the change in the work being done in each school,” she said.
She felt there was a clear positive change in each area of literacy, numeracy, and innovative programming.
Ward 1 (Chestermere) Trustee Shali Bazuk parroted that sentiment, adding that students have learned to adapt in the last couple of years to a new way of learning due to COVID-19.
