There is still time to save the two EA positions that were removed from Athol and Sophiasburgh schools.  Public advocacy works. Parents/guardians, educators, retirees, community members, recent graduates. and current students, the students of HPEDSB need your help.

Email Senior staff at [email protected] & [email protected].ca and copy your trustee. Share your story of how these folks have impacted you/your family and ask how you/your child will be supported come September 2023. Contact MPP Todd Smith. Tell him how EAs, counsellors, social workers, speech-language pathologists and psychologists have improved the well-being of you/your child. Ask him why he supports the defunding of public education.

Doug Ford’s plan is very clear. Not only has he stripped away powers from school boards via Bill 98, he’s also spending less and throwing a budget at the board to balance with threats of board takeover if they don’t. And when students are not doing well, academically and mentally, and staff are leaving the board in droves, he will blame the school board and say “It’s the board that makes the decisions. We’re always going to be there to fund the system, always. But I can’t direct the trustees of the school board.” The exact words he used last week when talking about the staffing crisis in hospitals. He will blame you.

But hey, at least students will be able to write cursive.

Alison Kelly

Cherry Valley