Call to action launched

At least 20 people attended, including representatives from the four schools in Barrington.

Jennifer Spencer, a member of the School Advisory Council for ERMES, says the plan is required for two reasons.

“To claw back our funding that was cut this year: $3.3 million resulting in two rounds of teaching cuts involving 44 positions; and to have the Department of Education funding formula (the Hogg report) reviewed for its impact specifically on the Tri-County Regional School Board.”

Spencer says the group prioritized banding together in their plan as a region, staying informed with the TCRSB for changes, and raising public awareness of the issue.

“We broke into groups of five and brainstormed ides of raising awareness.

Our headline will be: Our children are not worth less...why are they being funded less?” she said.

The top three directives that evolved from the session are to promote an educated, clear, and positive awareness plan involving media, council and the business community; to contact school advisory councils and parents in Yarmouth and Digby to widen the circle and means of awareness (possibly through a rally); and to follow these actions with an invitation to the Minister of Education to meet with the parents in the TCRSB to discuss further advocacy if needed.

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The following information has been supplied by the School Advisory Council for ERMES:

In a board comparable in size, 242 more students for it added up to $11.9 million less funding for this region.

TCRSB was cut $3.3 million from last year's funding causing two rounds of teaching cuts and a loss of 44 positions.

The result is lack of support for children, which are most at need i.e. guidance, Reading Recovery, French Reading Recovery.

Schools have lost courses and positions due to budget cuts. Parents are urged to ask their principal about these.

If you are concerned about the impact of funding cuts at your school, you can advocate for your child by contacting the following people:

Bill Curry (Co-ordinator of Programs) bcurry@tcrsb.ca

Sterling Belliveau (MLA of Shelburne County) mlashelburne@eastlink.ca

Karen Casey (Minister of Education)

educmin@gov.ns.ca

Rodney MacDonald (Premier of NS)

premier@gov.ns.ca