The Rocky View Schools (RVS) Board Advocacy Resources Committee is working to advocate for additional resources from the provincial government to support schools in growing communities.
RVS has more than 27,600 students, and welcomes another 750 to 1,000 students each year, Superintendent of Schools Greg Luterbach explained during the Nov. 24 RVS School Board meeting.
“RVS’ greatest challenge and most critical need, and the focus of our advocacy efforts is space for students. We urgently need more space for students in Airdrie, Cochrane and Chestermere,” Luterbach said.
“Provincial government approval and funding for new schools, additions, and modular classrooms are critical to accommodate our fast-growing communities,” he added. “Investing in space for students improves students’ opportunity and ability to learn and achieve their absolute best. Without this approval, many of our students will learn in schools and classrooms without appropriate space for years to come.”
The committee is currently working to advocate the need for more space for students by meeting with ministers, local MLAs, municipalities, parents, and presenting at school council meetings.
“It’s promising for me, personally, at the end of each of these events when people in the room know our story a little bit better. The story is compelling, it’s strong, and they support our end goal,” Luterbach said. “The advocacy committee has been working hard on this priority. It’s about maximizing our impact and timing is important.”
In addition to the work being done, the committee has also created “Share our Story Resources” to encourage parents and community members to join the advocacy efforts.
The committee’s top priorities include space for students with new schools, more school sites, and modular units, funding for students by prioritizing public education, equitable funding, and support for students by making decisions locally, and prioritizing student health and wellness.
“RVS is urgently in need of more space for students in several of our communities. Many of our schools are running out of space for students and we need the provincial government to build new schools in RVS and provide more modular classrooms while these new schools are built,” RVS said. “We need to be heard by the government, so they prioritize funding for schools in our most critically impacted RVS communities.”
With the provincial budget being released in the new year, Luterbach and the committee felt now was the right time to increase advocacy efforts to engage the public, municipalities, and elected officials, to ensure they are aware of the challenges RVS is facing.
“We want to ensure they are aware of the reality facing RVS. They can stand with us, at our elbow, and sometimes out front of us advocating in their audiences that new schools and modular units are coming to RVS,” Luterbach said. “We know it’s the province that funds the modulars, new schools, renovations, additions, and it’s critical that government invests in the capital including new schools and modulars for RVS each and every year.”
The committee is now encouraging members of the RVS communities to share the resources available and share their story with parents, and local and provincial government elected officials.
“This is continued work in progress, but we wanted to celebrate some of the good work that’s been done to date, and the challenge ahead,” Luterbach said. “Our challenge ahead is around space for students as we look forward, the pace for school approvals is not keeping up with growth.”
Parents and guardians are encouraged to advocate for the need for more space for students by keeping the message positive and personal while sharing the impacts high enrollments has had on their family.
“We need your help to share our story. Together, we can help to ensure our voices are heard,” RVS said. “Ensure they know you are invested in this issue and that it is an important community-wide issue. We also do not recommend online petitions as effective and positive means of advocating.”
