Education
Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools – Board Meeting Highlights
From Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools
Inspired by Christ. Aspiring to Excellence.
Board of Trustees
Murray Hollman – Chair, Dorraine Lonsdale – Vice Chair, Sharla Heistad, Monique LaGrange, Cynthia Leyson, Kim Pasula, and Anne Marie Watson
Administrative Procedure 458 – Duty to Report:
The Secretary Treasurer presented the Administrative Procedure 458 – Duty to Report to the Board of Trustees, and highlighted that this procedure was communicated to all staff within the Division. For more information regarding Administrative Procedure 458 – Duty to Report, please click here.
Superintendent Report:
The Superintendent presented the report to the Board of Trustees, emphasizing the first Faith Formation evening for new probationary contract teachers. This gathering, which included administrators and Faith Coaches, senior administration, and trustees, gathered together for Mass held at St. Mary’s Parish on September 19th. The invitation for this Mass was extended to all Division staff via the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and school emails.
The Associate Superintendent of Curriculum shared that RDCRS is taking a measured, teacher-centered approach to curriculum implementation, emphasizing collective leadership and, acknowledging that implementation
is a gradual process similar to learning accommodating various paces and approaches. School administration teams held spring meetings to plan and establish support systems, while the Division has launched a website for
curriculum resources and encouraged schools to prioritize professional learning for this implementation.
This September, students across our Division are also learning from the finalized curriculum in:
• Kindergarten – Grade 3 French Immersion, Language Arts and Literature
• Kindergarten – Grade 3 Science
• Grades 4 – 6 English Language Arts and Literature
• Grades 4 – 6 Mathematics
The Division has also received $227,745.00 for resource allocation and $223,600.00 for professional learning and collaboration for the new curriculum implementation from Alberta Education.
In addition, the Superintendent and the Associate Superintendent of Curriculum met with Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) President and Vice President, Academic & Student Experience at the Confluence Campus in Rocky Mountain House. The meeting aimed to introduce the new RDP leadership to the facility, assess community needs, and discuss future partnerships, particularly focusing on dual-credit programs and work-integrated learning opportunities for students within the school division. For more information regarding the Superintendent Report, please click here.
Joint Meeting with The City of Red Deer:
The Superintendent informed the Board about upcoming stakeholder engagement meetings and acknowledged the Board’s request for more time for discussions with City of Red Deer Councillors. The Superintendent welcomed suggestions from the Board, and a variety of potential topics were discussed including future land availability for Catholic schools, improved accessibility to recreational facilities, youth and training programs, more frequent review of City transit contracts, safety concerns at the Collicutt Centre, and the potential for recreation facilities to support structured programming. The Board of Trustees is also interested in a GH Dawe Community Centre presentation and how the facility could be utilized by Division schools.
Secretary Treasurer Report:
The Secretary Treasurer provided the Board of Trustees with an update on the St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School Capital Project, highlighting the Division’s ongoing efforts to finalize both the school construction and its financial aspects. Additionally, emphasis was placed on the Division’s anticipation and enthusiasm for the upcoming grand opening event of St. Lorenzo Ruiz. For more information about the Secretary Treasurer Report, please click here.
School Bus Advanced Funding:
The Secretary Treasurer shared with the Board of Trustees that on September 8th, RDCRS received notification from Christine Sewell, Assistant Deputy Minister Financial Services and Capital Planning, regarding new funding for school boards managing their transportation fleets. Due to transportation guideline changes for 2023-2024, RDCRS will require 10-15 additional buses. The Division is currently in the process of determining the exact number of buses required before applying for the School Bus Advanced Funding Program. For more information, please click here.
The next Board Meeting will take place on Friday, October 27, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.
From the Fraser Institute
Recently, amid the backdrop of a teacher strike, an Alberta high school teacher began collecting signatures for a petition to end government funding of independent schools in the province. If she gets enough people to sign—10 per cent of the number of Albertans who voted in the last provincial election—Elections Alberta will consider launching a referendum about the issue.
In other words, the critical funding many Alberta families rely on for their children’s educational needs may be in jeopardy.
In Alberta, the provincial government partially funds independent schools and charter schools. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), whose members are currently on strike, opposes government funding of independent and charter schools.
But kids are not one-size-fits-all, and schools should reflect that reality, particularly in light of today’s increasing classroom complexity where different kids have different needs. Unlike government-run public schools, independent schools and charter schools have the flexibility to innovate and find creative ways to help students thrive.
And things aren’t going very well for all kids or teachers in government-run pubic school classrooms. According to the ATA, 93 per cent of teachers report encountering some form of aggression or violence at school, most often from students. Additionally, 85 per cent of unionized teachers face an increase in cognitive, social/emotional and behavioural issues in their classrooms. In 2020, one-quarter of students in Edmonton’s government-run public schools were just learning English, and immigration to Canada—and Alberta especially—has exploded since then. It’s not easy to teach a classroom of kids where a significant proportion do not speak English, many have learning disabilities or exceptional needs, and a few have severe behavioural problems.
Not surprisingly, demand for independent schools in Alberta is growing because many of these schools are designed for students with special needs, Autism, severe learning disabilities and ADHD. Some independent schools cater to students just learning English while others offer cultural focuses, expanded outdoor time, gifted learning and much more.
Which takes us back to the new petition—yet the latest attempt to defund independent schools in Alberta.
Wealthy families will always have school choice. But if the Alberta government wants low-income and middle-class kids to have the ability to access schools that fit them, too, it’s crucial to maintain—or better yet, increase—its support for independent and charter schools.
Consider a fictional Alberta family: the Millers. Their daughter, Lucy, is struggling at her local government-run public school. Her reading is below grade level and she’s being bullied. It’s affecting her self-esteem, her sleep and her overall wellbeing. The Millers pay their taxes. They don’t take vacations, they rent, and they haven’t upgraded their cars in many years. They can’t afford to pay full tuition for Lucy to attend an independent school that offers the approach to education she needs to succeed. However, because the Alberta government partially funds independent schools—which essentially means a portion of the Miller family’s tax dollars follow Lucy to the school of their choice—they’re able to afford the tuition.
The familiar refrain from opponents is that taxpayers shouldn’t pay for independent school tuition. But in fact, if you’re concerned about taxpayers, you should encourage school choice. If Lucy attends a government-run public school, taxpayers pay 100 per cent of her education costs. But if she attends an independent or charter school, taxpayers only pay a portion of the costs while her parents pay the rest. That’s why research shows that school choice saves tax dollars.
If you’re a parent with a child in a government-run public school in Alberta, you now must deal with another teacher strike. If you have a child in an independent or charter school, however, it’s business as usual. If Albertans are ever asked to vote on whether or not to end government funding for independent schools, they should remember that students are the most important stakeholder in education. And providing parents more choices in education is the solution, not the problem.
Paige MacPherson
Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Finance Nate Horner, and Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides issued the following statement.
“Yesterday, the Provincial Bargaining and Compensation Office wrote to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and formally requested an agreement to enter an enhanced mediation process.
“This process would have ensured that students returned to the classrooms on Monday, and that teachers returned to work.
“Negotiating would have continued with the ATA, Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) and a third-party mediator to propose a recommended agreement.
“We are very disappointed that the Alberta Teachers’ Association refused this offer. Teachers and students should also be disappointed.
“PBCO made this offer to the ATA because the union has not made a reasonable offer and this strike is impacting students. Alberta’s government is trying to put kids first and bring an end to this strike.
“The offer of enhanced mediation provided a clear path to ending it.
“We want the same things as the ATA: More teachers. More pay for teachers. More educational assistants. And more classrooms.
“This strike has gone on too long and we are extremely concerned about the impact it is having on students.
“We are willing to consider further options to ensure that our next generation gets the world-class education they deserve. After about three weeks, a strike of this nature would reach the threshold of causing irreparable harm to our students’ education.
“The ATA needs to do what is right for its members, and for all Alberta students.
“If it refuses to do so, we will consider further options to bring this strike to an end.”
Diploma exam update
November diploma exams will be optional for students.
With instructional time in schools disrupted due to the teacher strike, the November 2025 diploma exams will now be optional for students. Students who wish to write a diploma exam may request to do so, and their school boards will accommodate the request.
The optional diploma exams apply to all schools provincewide. These exams will still take place on the currently scheduled dates.
Students who choose not to write the November diploma exams can still complete their courses and graduate on time. Their final grade will be based entirely on the school-awarded mark provided by their teacher.
Choosing not to write the November diploma exams will not affect a student’s ability to apply to, be accepted by, or attend post-secondary institutions after graduation.
No changes have been made to the January and June diplomas and provincial achievement tests.
Quick facts
- Students are automatically exempted from writing the November diploma exams but can request to write them.
- School boards must allow the student to write the diploma exam if requested.
The City of Red Deer’s Financial Troubles: Here Are The Candidates I Am Voting For And Why.
UN, Gates Foundation push for digital ID across 50 nations by 2028
Click here to help choose Alberta’s new licence plate design
The Trials of Liberty: What the Truckers Taught Canada About Power and Protest
-
Alberta2 days ago
Click here to help choose Alberta’s new licence plate design
-
National2 days agoDemocracy Watch Renews Push for Independent Prosecutor in SNC-Lavalin Case
-
Business2 days agoOver two thirds of Canadians say Ottawa should reduce size of federal bureaucracy
-
Alberta2 days agoBusting five myths about the Alberta oil sands
-
Frontier Centre for Public Policy2 days agoOttawa Should Think Twice Before Taxing Churches
-
Business1 day agoUS government buys stakes in two Canadian mining companies
-
Energy1 day agoMinus Forty and the Myth of Easy Energy
-
Health1 day agoNew report warns WHO health rules erode Canada’s democracy and Charter rights