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By Chantal Wagner with files from the Canadian Press

Staying on

Local school divisions retain support staff amid government call for layoffs

Apr 2, 2020 | 8:29 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Following the provincial government’s announcement over the weekend to lay off more than 20,000 support staff, local school divisions have found a way to retain staff through this difficult time.

The Medicine Hat Public School Division (MHPSD) says they found a way to save money that the government expects so they can use that revenue to support the pandemic fight and for the division to keep their staff.

MHPSD Superintendent Mark Davidson said in a video to families,

“At this time there will be no directed layoffs of instructional staff, educational assistants, clerical, custodial or staff who work for our system.”

MHPSD is also working with CUPE to make sure they have those staff working in a way that prepares the division well for next year and supports students today.

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“In terms of transportation, however, the grant reduction is so significant and of course there is very little use of school buses going on right now, that meant a pretty significant cut in revenue to our partners at Southland transportation,” Davidson said.

He adds that over the weekend and early this week finance staff looked at all of the areas they might be able to save revenue.

Prairie Rose School Division also confirms on their website that they will also retain most of their 128 support staff like educational assistants.

Superintendent Roger Clarke says in a video to families that rather than selecting a group to be laid off, they talked with staff.

“Commitment made by many of our support staff, we gave them an opportunity to work with us from a layoff perspective. Rather than Prairie Rose selecting a group (EA’s) to be laid off, we talked with our staff to see where we had some capabilities. So we have 35 people who will be laid off from Prairie Rose and it will work in their lives,” Clarke said.

He adds, this will work for staff and they can certainly access other financial supports through federal programs.

Clarke says dollars have been taken from other areas of their budget so they can support staff now.

Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education also confirmed in an email to Chat News that they sent communication to all division staff Wednesday afternoon letting them know they will not be making any staff cuts.

The Medicine Hat Public School Division announcement and video can be viewed by visiting this link.

The Prairie Rose School Division announcement and video can be viewed by visiting this link.

On Saturday, as schools geared up to begin virtual at-home programming for thousands of students, Alberta’s education minister directed school boards to lay off more than 20,000 support staff, including substitute teachers and educational assistants who work with special-needs students.

Adriana LaGrange says the move will save the government $128 million and that staff who lose their jobs will eventually be hired back.