The Chilliwack 3
Progress Thursday
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News
Scene
Food
The food truck phenomena pulls into Chilliwack.
37
Sports
Art
Hockey
Finding the action in abstraction.
Scholarships keep coming for CarsonClegg.
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • T H U R S D AY, J U N E 1 3 , 2 0 1 3
Victory for early French immersion
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School Board reverses earlier decision and approves 2014 start Alina Konevski The Progress
In a historic move, the Chilliwack Board of Education approved to start an early French immersion program at the earliest possible time, aiming for a September 2014 start date. The decision comes after nearly two years of intense lobbying by the Chilliwack chapter of Canadian Parents for French. Last month, EFI was rejected by the school board amidst concerns over funding. However, in an unexpected aboutface, trustee Silvia Dyck – who voted against EFI in May – motioned to free up $600,000 from the reserve to fund the program. The motion carried 4–1. Local parents were jubilant at the news, and unexpectedly surprised that the board discussed a start day of 2014. “I’m excited, I’m ecstatic,” said local parent Travis Forstbauer, member of Canadian Parents for French. “They wanted our full support. Well, they do have our full support.” Trustees Dyck, Martha Wiens, Heather Maahs, and Walt Krahn voted in favour of implementing EFI at the “earliest possible date subject to sufficient registration.” Trustee Barry Neufeld voted against, and trustee Doug McKay abstained, despite speaking against the motion at length Tuesday night. “The purpose of the reserve fund is in case of a serious emergency, and I don’t see early French immersion qualifying as an emergency,” said Neufeld. “Although French immersion gives kids an additional advantage, I can’t see that it would improve the overall achievement of our students in this district...Our new premier is talking about a 10-year contract with the teachers. That’s going to be a long haul without any changes in funding. There’s too many uncertainties to support spending the last of our cushion.” Continued: EFI/ p5
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A cyclist rides past the fountains at Central Community Park on Wednesday afternoon. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
School district proposes balanced budget Alina Konevski The Progress
The Chilliwack Board of Education presented a perfectly balanced budget for next year at Tuesday’s board meeting, which included a strengthening of its special education resources. In line with recommendations set out in February’s special education review, the district will hire another psychologist in 2013-14, adding to the several already on the roster. One psychologist will work through the summer to chip away at the backlog of student assessments. There will be a new early intervention coordinator to assist with
early literacy programming, and a new specialized staff member to coach instructors on teaching in a diverse classroom. Next year’s budget also includes $81,500 for professional development to education assistants, resource teachers, and learning assistance teachers. Most of this allocation exists in the current budget as well. The board is funding more time for teachers-on-call to fill gaps in classrooms, and providing an additional $13,000 to the Education Centre and C.H.A.N.C.E Alternate, which the facilities will likely use for supplies. The removal of seven full-time
units of education assistants from the budget represents closing empty positions. No EAs are losing their jobs. “We are not anticipating layoffs in any category at all,” said secretary-treasurer Maureen Carradice. Approximately 60 staff are coming to a natural end to their temporary contracts, and some of those spaces will be filled by the new positions. In response to a spate of breakins at schools during the past year, the district hired a new, slightly more expensive security firm, and reported seeing positive results already. The board’s approval of an
early French immersion program on Tuesday will have no impact on next year’s budget, Carradice confirmed. The district has $5,564,645 in accumulated surplus, which includes the $600,000 reserve that will be used to fund EFI. The board is pulling another $715,000 from the surplus to cover funding gaps for two ongoing programs, IT infrastructure upgrades within school buildings, and an initiative to keep aboriginal students in school. The $111,297,306 budget for the 2013-14 year came to first reading on Tuesday. There will be two more readings before approval.
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