SOFA

Hundreds of people protested at the Legislature in Edmonton this past Sunday regarding funding cuts in Education.  

According to a report by the Edmonton Journal, approximately 350 teachers will be laid off at the Edmonton Public School Board as a result of a funding shortfall.   It is concerning this will happen despite a decision by the Alberta Government to spend approximately $550 Million on new schools.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

3/2/11 UPDATE:  SHAW TV has given SOFA a copy of the 60 minute broadcast mentioned below.  For those of you who are outside of Calgary and unable to view the broadcast on SHAW TV Cable 10, we will be uploading the video onto YOUTUBE and will provide a link once this has been done.

We are thrilled to advise that SHAW TV in Calgary has produced a 60 minute broadcast on our January 25th, 2011 “Evening with Education Minister Dave Hancock”. 

The title of the show will appear in the TV guide as “Save Our Fine Arts”.  The program description is “Video clips, presentations and a panel discussion regarding the future of Fine Arts Education.” 

The show’s premiere will be on Saturday, February 19th at 3:00 p.m. on channel 10 in Calgary.  It will be rebroadcast a total of 10 times until the end of April.  The additional dates and times are as follows:

If you are unable to watch any of the above time slots, make sure to record (PVR) it for future viewing.

Thank you very much to to Jim Cummings (Senior Producer), Emily (Associate Producer), and the team at SHAW Cable for their support!

Check out the latest edition of Edmonton’s SEE Magazine. The August 26th edition has a great article entitled “Brains in Concert“. 

Reporter Jesse Locke tackles the issues related to fine arts education in Alberta - the benefits, the availability of specially trained teachers, and the amount of funding.   SOFA’s meeting with Education Minister Dave Hancock is also referred to in the article.

To view the article, CLICK HERE

Some great news!

On July 7th, Education Minister Dave Hancock announced the Government will be providing $48 Million to the School Boards to prevent the layoff of teachers.

If you are interested in reading Mr. Hancock’s comments on the above (which are posted on an Alberta Government website), CLICK HERE

To read the front page article in today’s edition of the Calgary Herald, CLICK HERE.  To read the Edmonton Journal’s version, CLICK HERE.

Mr Hancock stated, “… There should be no layoffs of teachers or support staff unless they (the School Boards) have a rationale for it that’s based on a change in student numbers or a change in programming.”

Now that the Alberta Government has addressed the funding shortage, SOFA will be watching the school boards with keen interest to ensure there will not be a ‘change in programming’ to fine arts courses and that fine arts teachers will not be negatively affected.

GWYNNE DYER  is a well known Canadian freelance journalist, columnist, and lecturer in Canada and around the world.  He regularly can be seen as a guest on the CBC National News.

STEPHEN MURGATROYD is an internationally recognized author, journalist, lecturer, and keynote speaker.  See previous posts on this website.

On May 31st in Calgary and June 1st in Edmonton, both gentlemen gave a presentation at a “Learning Our Way to the Next Alberta” event.  These were both open to the public.

During the lectures, Dr. Dyer talked about the importance of fine arts education in Alberta and he stated, “… don’t regard spending on culture as a an indulgence – it is a critical investment in the future of Alberta and will produce profound and poignant social and economic returns.” 

Dr. Murgatroyd made similar comments in support of fine arts education.  He stated, “…spending on arts education and creativity is as critical as spending on maths and science if Alberta wants to become an innovation economy where every talent is found, developed and available to help Alberta become the place the world needs to see. Cutting arts funding and arts education is a decision to limit the future of Alberta and will permanently damage our ability to compete and be successful as a Province – it makes no sense.”

For more information on the above, check out the following link:  http://www.learningourway.ca/

Note – we received permission from both Dr. Dyer and Dr. Murgatroyd to publish their comments on our website.

One day after massive teacher and support staff layoffs were announced at the Calgary Board of Education, Dave Hancock (Minister of Education) announces a new “Inspiring Education” strategy for students in kindergarten to grade 12.   It was announced via a live broadcast at 2:00 PM this afternoon by Mr. Hancock on the Alberta Government’s “Inspiring Education” website. 

If you are interested in viewing the press release, CLICK HERE.  To view the 56 page “Inspiring Education” report, CLICK HERE.

According to the strategy, it’s time to make a dramatic change in how students are educated.  It states, “…we need to prepare our kids for the future, not the past.”

The strategy is very similar to the ‘guiding principles’ Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd has been promoting over the past few months.  If you are interested in reading these, please check out our earlier posts.

Although the general philosophy of Minister Hancock’s “Inspiring Education” strategy has plenty of merit, “the devil is always in the details.”  Several questions need to be answered:

• What will the curriculum look like once it is implemented several years from now? 
• Will the Alberta Government have the courage to provide the financial resources to ensure it can be implemented effectively?
• Will there be enough qualified educators, especially after the massive layoffs announced recently? 
• What is the position of the Calgary Board of Education, the Edmonton Public School Board, and the other Boards around Alberta? 
• How can we be assured that fine arts education will play a prominent role in the new curriculum?

Please tell the Alberta Government what you think by signing Dr. Murgatroyd’s petition.  You can view it at the following link:  http://www.gopetition.com/online/35101.html.  It’s time to get involved…

According to the Alberta Government’s press release, an education discussion paper will be released by Minister Hancock on June 15th.

Stay tuned!

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) announced today the reductions in teaching and administrative staff will be greater than previously announced (see our earlier post). 

As of 6:15 PM this evening, the Calgary Herald’s online edition of the newspaper is reporting  there will be 192 full-time teachers and 85 support staff affected.   This will still leave the CBE in a large deficit position financially.

To read the online article, CLICK HERE.  You will also be able to read it in tomorrow’s print edition.

SOFA questions why so many teacher layoffs are necessary.  It is our understanding they have one of the largest administrations per student compared to any other Board in Canada.  Couldn’t they look at saving money by reducing their some of their administration first?

How concerned are you about education cutbacks?   Concerned enough to sign a petition?   Join the hundreds of other Albertans who already have.   Check it out at the following link:  http://www.gopetition.com/online/35101.html

Students at Central Memorial High School in Calgary are ’taking to the stage’ to save their fine arts program at the school.

According to the Calgary Herald’s May 24th feature report,  ”…behind the scenes of Central Memorial High School’s production of Les Miserable (running all this week), many Calgary parents and teachers have been engaged in their own rebellion to preserve fine arts programs in all schools.  And after hundreds of community members lobbied against proposed changes to the fine arts curriculum, it appears the fight with Alberta Education may be won.”

To read the Calgary Herald’s report, CLICK HERE.

Thanks to the media attention on this story, the performances each night are SOLD OUT!

Last week it was the Calgary Board of Education.  This week, it is the Calgary Catholic School Board.

For the first time in its 125 year history, the Catholic School Board is pushed into a deficit position due to funding short falls by the Alberta Government.  The result will be the elimination of  85.5 full-time positions. 

To read today’s Calgary Herald article, CLICK HERE.

Based in Ontario, the Coalition for Music Education in Canada is dedicated to ensuring all Canadian children have access to music education.   

On the “latest news” section of their website, they published an article (dated May 10th) in support of SOFA and the signing of our petition at:  http://www.gopetition.com/online/35101.html

Check out their website at:  http://coalitionformusiced.ca/