尊敬的家长/监护人：

我写信向您提供有关今年学校遭遇的3200万加元预算赤字的进展更新。尽管过去几周非常具有挑战性，但我要向您保证，我们对高学术标准和所有学生的成功的承诺始终如一。我要感谢我们的教师、支持人员、家庭和社区为确保每位学生的成功所做的一切努力。

自10月24日收到省份预算以来，我们一直与校长和其他领导合作，寻找解决预算赤字的途径。

我收到了许多家长、学生和教职员工的电子邮件、电话和评论，强调了构成我们学校系统的人们所产生的巨大影响。我想让您知道，我们每一天都致力于您的孩子和他们的教育，绝不例外。

我们很感激省政府为我们提供了使用基础设施维护和更新（IMR）经费的灵活性，以重点满足我们的学生、教室和家庭的需求。我们相信，今年我们可以在不损害学生和职员安全的情况下减少建筑和维护方面的支出。

这意味着在11月收到通知的317名临时合同教师将保留他们在当前学校的工作岗位。这对我们的学生、教职员工和家庭来说是一个好消息。

我们还将使用部分IMR经费来弥补省份减少的800万加元的交通资金。这将有助于减轻2.3万位乘坐校车的学生家庭的经济负担。

在今天的公共董事会会议上，CBE行政部门向董事会提交了一份更新的 预算假设报告（第5-1页）。该报告详细介绍了我们将如何在2019-20学年使用1500万加元的IMR资金来平衡预算。

为了在今年关闭剩余的资金缺口，还必须实施其他节约成本的策略，包括：

年中改变交通费和卡尔加里公交回扣

2019-20学年，所有常规黄色校车乘车人将被收取365加元。这包括之前有资格享受免费交通费的6000名学生。卡尔加里公交回扣也被取消。这些更改回溯到学年开始。整体服务水平将得到保持。
有关交通详情将在今天稍后以独立的电子邮件形式发送给所有家庭。

进一步减少行政开支

我们将继续减少非学校人员的人员编制和支出，以保护教室。行政预算将减少额外的400万加元，总计自2019年春季以来减少了700万加元。这还包括额外减少约33个职位。在本学年中，我们还正在通过进行集中调整，将教师和其他工作人员支持带入学校。

所有非必要支出的冻结仍然有效。领导者必须维持学校的教学计划和运营。确保课程传达的采购被视为必要，以及有关安全、保障和法律合规性的支出。

减少学校基础预算

学校的预算总体上有所减少。这些影响将因学校而异。校长在管理预算时，将谨慎而周到，以最符合学生和学校社区的利益。

使用储备金和减少资本支出

我们将使用我们的储备资金和减少资本支出来帮助填补资金缺口。这些预算中剩下的资金将用于支持我们学校和系统的必要支出项目。CBE将继续为所有学生和职员提供安全、健康和支持性的学习和工作环境。

感谢您不断的支持、耐心和理解。如果您对孩子所在学校有任何具体问题，请联系校长。

此致，

Christopher Usih
学校首席主任

了解更多 |

• 关于我们2019-20年的预算
• 关于交通费和服务的信息
• 在YouTube上观看12月10日董事会会议

注 | 2020年1月7日，董事会将讨论和批准修订后的2019-20年预算，然后提交给阿尔伯塔省教育厅。

​Dear parents/guardians,

I am writing to provide an update on the steps the CBE is taking this school year to address our $32 million budget shortfall. While the last few weeks have been challenging, I want to assure you that our commitment to high academic standards and success for all has not wavered. I want to thank our teachers, support staff, families and communities for everything they do to ensure the success of every student.

Since receiving the budget from the province on October 24, we have been working with our principals and other leaders to find ways to address our budget shortfall.

I have received many emails, calls and comments from parents, students and staff that emphasize the tremendous impact made by the people who make up our school system. I want you to know we remain committed to your child and their education, every single day, no exceptions.

We are grateful that the provincial government has provided us with the flexibility to use Infrastructure Maintenance and Renewal (IMR) dollars to prioritize our students, classrooms and families. We are confident that we can reduce our spending on buildings and maintenance this year without compromising the safety of our students and staff.

This means the 317 teachers on temporary contracts who received notices in November will keep their jobs in their current school. This is welcome news for our students, staff and families.

We are also using a portion of the IMR funding to offset an $8 million reduction in provincial transportation funding. This will help minimize the financial impact on families of the 23,000 students who travel on yellow school buses.

At today’s public board meeting, CBE administration presented an updated Budget Assumptions Report (Page 5-1) to our Board of Trustees. This report includes details about how we will balance our 2019-20 budget with the use of $15 million in IMR funds.

To close the remaining funding gap this year, other cost-saving strategies must be implemented including:

Mid-Year Changes to Transportation Fees and Calgary Transit Rebate

For the 2019-20 school year, all general yellow school bus riders will be charged $365. This includes the 6,000 students who were previously eligible for fee-free transportation. The Calgary Transit rebate is also eliminated. These changes are retroactive to the start of the school year. Overall service levels will be maintained.
Transportation details will be sent to all families in a separate email later today.

Further Cuts to Administration

We will continue to reduce non-school based staffing and spending to protect classrooms. Administrative budgets will absorb an additional $4 million in reductions for a total of $7 million since spring 2019. This includes an additional reduction of approximately 33 positions. Over the course of this school year, we are also making adjustments centrally to move teacher and other staff supports into schools.

A freeze on all non-essential spending remains in effect. It is important that leaders maintain school programming and operations. Purchases that ensure the delivery of the curriculum are considered essential as well as spending to ensure safety, security and legal compliance.

Reductions to School-Based Budgets

School budgets have been reduced overall. These impacts will vary by school. Principals are being prudent and thoughtful in managing their budgets in the best interests of their students and school communities.

Using Reserves and Reducing Capital Spending

We will be using our reserve dollars and reducing capital spending to help cover the funding gap. The dollars remaining in these budgets will be used to support necessary spending on projects that support essential services of our schools and system. The CBE will continue to provide safe, healthy, and supportive learning and working environments for all students and staff.

Thank you for your ongoing support, patience and understanding. Should you have any specific questions about your child’s school please contact the principal.

Sincerely,

Christopher Usih
Chief Superintendent of Schools

Learn more |

• About our 2019-20 budget
• About transportation fees and services
• Watch the December 10 Board of Trustees meeting on YouTube

Note | On January 7, 2020 the Board of Trustees will discuss and approve the revised 2019-20 budget before it is submitted to Alberta Education.