Elk Island Catholic Schools to pay additional $800,000 for COVID-19 Supports

Elk Island Catholic Schools to pay additional $800,000 for COVID-19 Supports

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Elk Island Catholic Schools, (EICS) is going to have to pay an additional $800,000 for COVID-19 supports.

But that is a far cry from the total amount of money it would have had to pay for COVID-19 supports if it hadn’t received $2.5 million from the federal government.

EICS Board Chair Ted Paszek.

(EICS/Submitted Photo)

EICS Chair Ted Paszek explained, “Most of the additional learning supports, especially from the federal funding, went to hiring 18 teachers because eight percent of our students opted for online learning in September. That was through St. Isadore which is our online learning centre so that’s why the federal money was such a godsend.

Instead of having to pull money out of the schools to put staff into the virtual learning centre we left the funding in place and then we were able to hire 18 more teachers to work with the online students so it didn’t impact the classrooms. If we had to impact the classrooms you can imagine we’d have to be combining grades and reducing the number of students that went online. That funding enabled us to keep the classroom configurations as they were.”

Paszek said a fair portion of the federal money was set aside for substitute costs. He said when there’s a covid case in a school then a student goes home for 14 days. Additionally, the teacher, other teachers, or support staff that were in contact with the student would have to isolate. “In one episode there was six staff that had to go home and isolate, and subs had to be brought in. So you can see how that starts to add up.”

EICS also saved some money, explained Paszek, because there are less travel and professional development. They also found savings in a few other places to help offset the costs. “We reallocated the money from within to be used for these purposes. We weren’t able to use our reserves because they are pretty small.”

Paszek also pointed out the Provincial Government did supply personal protective equipment, sanitizing equipment, and other materials for the school division. “We should have enough but it’s such an unpredictable virus, but so far we’re on target and should be able to manage till the end of the year.”

At the November 25 public meeting, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary- Treasurer Cindy Wang provided a report to the Board of Trustees of the EICS submission to Alberta Education highlighting the Federal Funding for Alberta for a Safe Return to Class Fund.

The report stated, “In September EICS received $1,175,000 and will be receiving another $1,175,000 in January 2021. The total allocation of highlights of the expenditures allocated to the federal funding include: Additional Learning Supports: $2,588,288 Testing (Temp checks/Swab Tests) $55,000 Cleaning Supplies and Sanitization $80,000 Additional Cleaning and Custodial (substitutes) $284,020 Online Learning/Teacher Training $137,000 Transportation Cleaning $35,229 Total expenditures: $3,179,537.”

Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS), part of Alberta’s publicly-funded education system, serves over 7,300 students in 18 schools in the communities of Camrose, Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, and Vegreville.