"$56"-*5 4r/&84 RDHS TEACHER SHORTAGE KEEPING SOME STUDENTS OUT OF CLASS JOSEPH COPPOLINO joseph.coppolino@eap.on.ca
A high number of late registrants for the 2023-2024 school year at Rockland District High School is causing over- capacity classes, even pushing some students out of classes needed for graduation. According to the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB), Rockland District High School (RDHS) received approximately 50 students more students from grades nine to 12 than projected when staffing decisions were made at the end of last year, a 12-per-cent increase to the school approximate population of 400 students. Skylar, a student at RDHS, said three of the four classes she registered for this year were over-capacity by several students. The grade 12 student said she was unable to SFHJTUFSGPSBO&OHMJTIBOEBNBUIDSFEJU she needs to take. i8FIBWFIBEPWFSOFXLJETKPJO3%)4 and we have 15 International students, and they are not able to accommodate anymore students,” according to Skylar. RDHS Principal Stacey McCready referred questions to the UCDSB which said that they register all eligible students to attend school, “however, some students may not get their first choice of class on their timetable when they register at the school for the first time in the fall.” School board communications manager April Scott-Clarke said the administration at RDHS is unaware of any students unable to access classes they need to graduate or apply for post-secondary programs, despite Skylar’s and several other comments made by students and parents of students on social media. Scott-Clarke reiterated that RDHS has access to the province’s online learning
Rockland District High School saw an additional 50 students join the school for the 2023-2024 year resulting in a teacher shortage, over capacity classes and some students unable to register for certain required credits. – photo Joseph Coppolino.
Scott-Clarke. Skylar, however, said communication from the school and school board has been limited. “They haven’t really said much other then that they can’t do anything,” she said. The UCDSB assured parents that the
program where all students can earn any credit they require. “Our guidance counsellors work closely with all students to plan for pathways, ensuring access to required courses for graduation and post-secondary destinations in advance of their Grade 12 year,” added
school has the physical space required to accommodate the larger number of students and is working to resolve the issue by the end of the week, though did not expand on how the school board would support the additional need.
NEW SCHOOL BUS DEAL GOES $20M OVER MINISTERIAL FUNDING
Spokesperson for the UCDSB, April Scott- Clarke, said that though the amount “exceeds the amount of funding that is provided to UIF6$%4#CZUIF.JOJTUFSPG&EVDBUJPOGPS transportation,” they are confident there will not be negative impacts to student program- ming or transportation. “At this time, we do not have the specific details around where supporting revenue will be drawn from, but we do know that UIFTDIPPMZFBSCVEHFUXJMMOPU be impacted and, based on experience, do not expect to jeopardize any future program opportunities,” added Scott-Clarke. 5IF6$%4#SFDFJWFEKVTUTIPSUPG NJMMJPOJOUSBOTQPSUBUJPOGVOEJOHGPSUIF TDIPPMZFBSGPSUIFJS TUVEFOUT from Lanark County to the United Counties PG1SFTDPUU3VTTFMM5IF$4%#&0 XJUIB TJHOJàDBOUMZTNBMMFSTUVEFOUCPEZPG students across the same catchment area, SFDFJWFENPSFUIBONJMMJPO5IF6$%4# JTSFTQPOTJCMFGPSQFSDFOUPG45&0T transportation costs, which provides services UP TUVEFOUTBDSPTTUIFUXPCPBSET *OJUTCVEHFUPGNJMMJPO the UCDSB increased its transportation costs GSPNUIFQSFWJPVTZFBSCZNJMMJPO GSPN NJMMJPOUPNJMMJPO5IF$4%#&0T CVEHFUGPSJTPWFSNJMMJPO XJUIPWFSNJMMJPOHPJOHUPUSBOTQPSUBUJPO costs.
STEO and the bus operators came to an agreement just days before the first day of the 2023-2024 school year. The deal is expected to cost the two school boards an additional $20 million over the course of the four-year deal, exceeding the funding available from the Ministry of Education - archival photo.
JOSEPH COPPOLINO joseph.coppolino@eap.on.ca
deal. Though the details of the deal remain CFUXFFO4UVEFOU5SBOTQPSUBUJPOPG&BTUFSO 0OUBSJP 45&0 BOEUIF&BTUFSO0OUBSJP#VT Operators Association, a consortium of bus companies, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) stated the cost to them and UIF$BUIPMJD%JTUSJDU4DIPPM#PBSEPG&BTUFSO
0OUBSJP $4%#&0 UIFUXPTDIPPMCPBSET SFQSFTFOUFECZ45&0 XJMMCFNJMMJPO more than their previous agreement. i8FDBOTIBSFUIBUPWFSUIFOFYUGPVS years, which is the length of the new contract, BO BEEJUJPOBM NJMMJPO EPMMBST XJMM CF QBJEJOUSBOTQPSUBUJPODPTUTUP45&0CZUIF member boards.”
The last-minute deal between the student transportation organization STEO and the bus operators is costing the two school boards millions of dollars more over the course of the four-year
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