The Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division has some worries about cost-cutting measures from the provincial government that include plans to put a Unified Student Information System in place province-wide that may end up costing the school division a significant amount of money, depending on which system is chosen. This system is part of the Education Sector Strategic Plan, which includes participation by Holy Family, trustees were told at their meeting on Wednesday evening.
Trustees expressed worry at one of the goals listed in the strategic plan, namely that there is to an accumulated savings of $40 million for the education sector by Aug. 31, 2019.
“This will be pushed significantly, with lots of pressure on us,” warned Gwen Keith, director of education.
Board chair Bruno Tuchscherer said he wasn’t sure this will be achievable for the school boards, pointing out there has to be savings that can accumulate from year-to-year. “I think all we can do is our best. It’s tough to lean out a system when it’s already lean,” he added.
“We will be compared to every other school division,” said Keith. In regard to the student information system, the Ministry is considering using one software company for the entire province.
“This is very controversial,” Keith explained the issues around this system. If they choose the software that Holy Family uses, then they can just continue using it without any extra cost — but if a different system is used, it will be a major expense for those school divisions who have to buy the new software.
Holy Family uses a system called Maplewood, with 13 school divisions around the province also using it, including Saskatoon’s, while the other software is called Powerschool. The systems contain all data relating to their students, including the issuing of report cards.
“We’re going into a very tight financial year. If our system is not picked, there are many things connected to it. You have to train people in its use. Just for report cards alone is a huge piece,” said Keith, pointing out that the ministry was supposed to do a feasibility study before making such a huge change that will be costing some school divisions a lot of money.
No matter which system is chosen, there are going to be some losers, said Tuchscherer.
Trustee Rocky Sidloski pointed out if Holy Family has to invest in a whole new information system, they will lose any cost savings they managed to find as part of the sector-wide goal to save $40 million.
The other concern the school division has had is of preserving the privacy of the information of their students.
Some of the goals of the strategic plan is that by June 2018, at least 75 per cent of students will be at or above their grade level in reading and writing; by June 2019, at least 75 per cent of students will be at or above their grade level for math; and by June 2020, 80 per cent of students will be at or above their grade level for reading, writing and math. Keith noted the ministry is also pushing for graduation to be achieved in three years rather than four, with the goal that by June 2020, 85 per cent of students will be graduating with three years of senior high education, and 90 per cent will be graduating within five years.
“There is some frustration over why they’re pushing for this. It’s a significant cost,” said Keith.
Part of the concern for the setting of these goals is with recent rankings at the world level, Canada was ranked seventh for education of children (including achievements in math, science and English), but in Canada, Saskatchewan is ranked 10th.
In other school board business: Holy Family will start negotiations with SEIU employees early in the new year, as the current contract expires on Dec. 31, 2016. The Holy Family annual meeting will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at the Weyburn board office, starting at 7 p.m.
