Rocky View Schools (RVS) divided up 1.1 million of additional monies from the Government of Alberta, Sept. 16 after an hour-long debate.
The money is a result of the Province handing out a 1.12 per cent to fund teachers’ salaries after they lost a dispute with the Alberta Teachers’ Association over the change in Average Weekly Earnings Index for Alberta.
Three alternatives were tabled by RVS Superintendent of Schools, Greg Bass, which were then debated by the trustees.
The resulting discussion grew tense at times after trustees disagreed with one another on how to divide the money.
West Airdrie trustee Don Thomas drafted his own alternative, including allocation of sufficient funds to Policy BHD Trustee Honoraria, but his idea was rejected.
The money was eventually divided as follows: $785,000 to schools, based on their 2009/10 Full Time Equivalent teacher count; $215,000 for technological upgrades for wireless and other equipment and $100,000 was given to a Human Resources contingency fund.
The vote was narrowly approved four to three. Sylvia Eggerer, Helen Clease, Jen Avery and Bev LaPeare voted in favour while Don Thomas, Bruce Pettigrew and Colleen Munro were opposed.
