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For the first time since 1985, VSB trustees have voted against the proposed budget. Green Party trustee, Janet Fraser, was the deciding vote with the 4 Vision Vancouver trustees voting against and the 4 NPA trustees voting for the budget.
The vote puts the future of the board in question, as the province requires a balanced budget (by June 30) and could call for their dismissal. This is likely just the beginning of the parent support that will be needed ... get yourselves ready! CBC news article
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URGENT EDUCATION ADVOCACY from PAN
TONIGHT, Thursday April 28 at 7:00pm is the final deliberation on the proposed VSB budget for the coming school year. Trustees will engage in debate and vote. We invite all parents/guardians, grandparents, aunts and uncles and families to attend and WEAR RED - BC Budget is in the Black but BC Ed is in the RED - to continue to support the #BCEDINRED campaign. THANK YOU to ALL who attended on Monday and who stood in solidarity with PAN to make a visible statement and protest the continued government underfunding of public education. Let’s show our resolve will not be shaken, and demonstrate our strength in numbers, and RED. Please share this with your networks! WHO: Parent Advocacy Network members and all parents/PACs in Vancouver WHAT: WEAR RED WHEN: TODAY - 7:00pm, Thurs Apr 28 WHERE: Big Gym at Gladstone Secondary School, 4105 Gladstone St. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. Here is the PAN presentation from Budget Consultation, April 25 - Delivered by Maggie Milne Martens stating our definitive stand in rejecting the proposed budget: "I stand before you tonight to speak on behalf of the Parent Advocacy Network for Public Education. With me are members of PAN and other parents from all over Vancouver. Tonight we are wearing red, to mark the fact that while the BC budget may be in the black, public education is in the red. We live in a province of prosperity, or so we are told, but this prosperity comes at a price. That price is the quality of our children's education and the well being of our future society. This budget is a direct result of chronic underfunding by the provincial government—a government that has repeatedly disregarded the recommendations of its own standing committee on finance and therefore the priorities of the citizens of this province. At least 25 districts across the province are facing shortfalls this year, totalling over $70 million, despite previous years of austerity cuts. Every year, structural under-funding forces students, schools and communities across BC to compete for increasingly scarce dollars. It forces school boards to make impossible choices over which vital program to save or to cut and it forces PACs to fundraise inordinate amounts of money to compensate for these losses, creating divisiveness and inequalities between schools. ALL children, regardless of their economic background, race, or ability, have the right in this province to a quality education, that meets their learning needs and gives them the opportunity to achieve their full potential - for the health and benefit of our whole society - this is the goal of public education as set forth in the BC School Act. Over the last decade, parents in Vancouver have watched the relentless depletion within our schools; we have lost teachers, counselors, specialists, learning supports and librarians (to name a few); school days, arts programs, and basic educational resources. Now we are being asked to absorb a further 24 million dollars worth of cuts (in addition to the forced closure of up to 21 schools) - all in the name of greater efficiency. These cuts will have very real, detrimental and permanent impacts on children and families - as you have heard throughout these consultations. When balancing a budget requires the removal of foundational supports for some of our most vulnerable students, we know we are witnessing the dissolution of our public education system and everything that it stands for. The time has come to say ENOUGH! The Parent Advocacy Network is here tonight in support of the many voices of parents you’ve heard throughout the budget consultations to urge you, the board of trustees, to stand as one voice and reject this budget as contrary to the interests of the children of Vancouver and in violation of the democratic values upon which the School Act is founded. Instead, we urge you to demand, with us, the immediate restoration of adequate and sustainable funding for public education. We are fully aware of the gravity of what we are asking you to do, and the potential ramifications. However, We can no longer be complicit in the hollowing-out of our public education system, nor can we let fear and intimidation determine our course of action. It is time take a stand for children and public education and say No!" The Carson family (Tennyson students Matteo, Gr 6 & Arianna, Gr 2) has entered into a cooking contest and would like help with votes. If they win, they plan to split the donation between the Y and TOSS (Tennyson's two before/after-school care groups). Please check out their videos (what great sounding recipes) and vote using the links provided. It literally takes 15 seconds to vote! Please be sure to vote for all three videos (click on each link below and hit the "vote" button).
http://www.bettertogetherbc.ca/contest/video/basil-ricotta-balls http://www.bettertogetherbc.ca/contest/video/shrimps-peas-risotto http://www.bettertogetherbc.ca/contest/video/healthy-burgers- Matteo Carson is a previous winner of Global's Jr Chef Competition! Here is the blog entry from last year. Bike to School Week is approaching and we are looking for a group of parent volunteers to help with organizing the many events that are planned for the week. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Jackie Corlett at jleinberger@hotmail.com and plan to attend the upcoming meeting on Thursday, April 28th at 9 AM (right after drop off) in the staff room.
Bike to School Week will be May 30th - June 3rd! IMPORTANT ADVOCACY MOMENT - please see the following message from PAN
Monday April 25 at 7:00pm is the final VSB public consultation session before Trustees vote on the proposed budget for the coming school year. This proposed VSB Budget reflects 10+ years of administrative and other cuts and NOW more than ever before, this budget will be materially damaging to education in Vancouver and the equity within our system. These $24M in cuts will be detrimental to ALL our children in their classrooms and will be felt for years to come. Once again PAN will be presenting at 7pm (we are #2 on the Agenda) - and this time we are asking Trustees to unite and REJECT the Budget and DEMAND the Government provide adequate and stable funding for public education as is their legal obligation. We invite all parents/guardians, grandparents, aunts and uncles and families to STAND with us and WEAR RED as a visible indication of protest - BC Budget is in the Black and BC Ed is in the RED - and support the #BCEDINRED campaign This is our best opportunity to make a visible statement and protest the continued government underfunding. We NEED your support - Please make an effort to Join us and TAKE A STAND! When its our turn to present, we ask all those in attendance to STAND UP in their RED! WHO: Parent Advocacy Network members and all parents/PACs in Vancouver WHAT: Wear RED and STAND with us WHEN: 7:00-7:30pm, Mon Apr 25 WHERE: Auditorium/gymnasium at Tupper Secondary School, 419 East 24th Avenue, near Fraser & King Edward/25th THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. The PAC Executive is required to prepare and present the 2016-17 budget for approval at the June 2016 Annual General Meeting. At that time, all PAC members present will be asked to vote to approve the budget.
To facilitate this process, this brief survey provides you, a Tennyson parent and member of PAC, an opportunity to provide your input and suggestions regarding possible 2016-17 PAC budgetary items. The current funding (per 2015-16 budget) for each expense item is shown in the survey and a description of each item can be found here. The 2015-16 PAC Budget approved at the 2015 AGM is $35,575, of which $8,360 is funded by the province and $27,215 from Tennyson PAC fundraising efforts (you!). The survey should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. Thank you for taking the time to provide your input by no later than Sunday, May 8th. Here is the survey. The VSB published the 2016/17 preliminary budget on March 31. Due to an estimated $27M shortfall, many significant cuts are proposed. These cuts affect students in all schools and all grades.
Items of significance include (but are not limited to): * reduce each school's “Flexible Budget” by 20% - these funds are given on a per student basis and are used for furniture, library resources, equipment, program support and other items (Tennyson will need to run on 20% less funds). * complete elimination of elementary band and strings program * significant reduction to Special Education Support as well as Gifted Support (including testing) * significant reduction in Non-Enrolling Staffing - these staff provide services in the areas of ELL, special education, aboriginal and library. The Public Input meetings were held last week and the VSB trustees have heard the messages shared by parents and students. Many, many, many parents and students spoke passionately about the proposed cuts. What now? Momentum seems to be building in BC ... parents and students across the province are speaking up to the government about the lack of funding for public education in BC. BC has the second lowest annual funding per student in all of Canada. What can you do? Please write to the Minister of Education & Christy Clark and cc the VSB trustees and your MLA as well as the Opposition Education Critic (emails are provided below). Here is a sample letter - you may use it as is (update your name and address). It's recommended that each parent send their own letter and please share with family and friends as well. Here is a letter that one of our Gr 7 students sent to the government. A "softer" version of it was published by the Vancouver Sun. Encourage your children to write as well. It is time to put pressure on the government. Please help on behalf of everyone in BC - we will all benefit from increased funding for public education in BC. Thank you for the support! Happy letter writing. Mr Bernier - Minister of Education: educ.minister@gov.bc.ca Premier Christy Clark: premier@gov.bc.ca VSB trustees emails: Mike Lombardi mike.lombardi@vsb.bc.ca Allan Wong allan.wong@vsb.bc.ca Janet Fraser Janet.fraser@vsb.bc.ca Fraser Ballantyne fraser.ballantyne@vsb.bc.ca Christopher Richardson christopher.richardson@vsb.bc.ca Joy Alexander joy.alexander@vsb.bc.ca Patti Bacchus patti.bacchus@vsb.bc.ca Joy Alexander joy.alexander@vsb.bc.ca Penny Noble penny.noble@vsb.bc.ca Stacy Robertson stacy.robertson@vsb.bc.ca MLA emails: Hon. Suzanne Anton: Vancouver-Fraserview suzanne.anton.MLA@leg.bc.ca George Heyman: Vancouver-Fairview george.heyman.MLA@leg.bc.ca Sam Sullivan: Vancouver-False Creek sam.sullivan.MLA@leg.bc.ca Shane Simpson: Vancouver-Hastings shane.simpson.MLA@leg.bc.ca Mable Elmore: Vancouver-Kensington mable.elmore.MLA@leg.bc.ca Adrian Dix: Vancouver-Kingsway adrian.dix.MLA@leg.bc.ca Dr. Moira Stilwell: Vancouver-Langara moira.stilwell.MLA@leg.bc.ca Melanie Mark: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant melanie.mark.mla@leg.bc.ca David Eby: Vancouver-Point Grey david.eby.MLA@leg.bc.ca Hon: Andrew Wilkinson: Vancouver-Quilchena andrew.wilkinson.MLA@leg.bc.ca Spencer Chandra Herbert: Vancouver-West End s.chandraherbert.MLA@leg.bc.ca Opposition education critic email: rob.fleming.mla@leg.bc.ca From the SIRC ...
Are you worried about the amount of time your young kids are spending in front of the screen? Statistics say that kids spend an average 7.5 hours a day in front of the screen. One approach to limiting screen time involves keeping them busy with other activities ... here are a few quick tips to help limit screen time for kids. Tennyson's Track & Field starts on Monday, April 25 at 7:45am.
The practices will be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 7:45 - 8:40am. For Kindergarteners - Grade 2s, a parent or adult must accompanying them to practice. Wear your Tiger Orange! Practice will end at 8:40am in order for the team to put away the equipment and get to class on time. Parent volunteers are needed to help at practices - please ask Jacqueline Crummey where you can be useful. The date for the mini meets are: May 10, 12, 16 & 18 and the final meet will be May 26. Students must attend at least one mini meet in order to attend the final meet. Here is more info on the meets. Permission forms will be available outside of the office next week. Please check out the latest newsletter about VSB's Long Range Facilities Plan.
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