Funding Cuts to Calgary Schools

PETITION TO SAVE ARTS PROGRAMMING IN CALGARY SCHOOLS

URGENT NOTICE FROM SAVE OUR FINE ARTS

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) announced they will have to cut up to 165 teachers as a result of a significant funding shortfall. To read the announcement, check out the front page of the May 5th edition of the Calgary Herald. You can also read the article on the Calgary Herald’s online website – http://www.calgaryherald.com/.

SOFA has learned from a very reliable source this will mean the layoff of approximately 3 – 4 teachers per school. We have also learned this will definitely have a negative impact on the CBE’s ability to provide funding for a number of locally developed courses, including a number of fine arts programs.

It is clear because of the Alberta Government’s cutback in education funding; this will not just affect the Calgary Board of Education. In fact, it will negatively affect every school district in the Province.

Without substantial increases in education funding, we will potentially lose many fine arts programs across Alberta. Further, students currently in the school system will not be equipped with the necessary skills (creativity, critical thinking, communication, innovation, etc.) to compete in an ever changing world (read the articles on Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd in previous posts on our website at http://www.saveourfinearts.ca/).

Now is the time for every parent, student, teacher, business owner, and concerned citizen to stand up, be counted, and make a difference:
Please read and sign the PETITION at: http://www.gopetition.com/online/35101.html.

Please ask ALL your family members, neighbours, friends, co-workers, and anyone else you know to sign the petition as well. There is no age restriction to sign.

If you are an educator, please make sure your students are aware of the announcement by photocopying this note and handing it out.

Please send an email note to your Premier, Minister of Education, and School Board Officials/Trustees expressing your concern about education funding cutbacks. For a listing of contact information please check out our SOFA website at: http://saveourfinearts.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/SOFA-Education-Advocacy-Contacts.pdf.

For those of you in Calgary, you can write to your Calgary Board of Education Trustee by checking out the following website: http://www.cbe.ab.ca/trustees/trustees.asp

Please register on our SOFA website at www.saveourfinearts.ca and click on the red registration button.

There comes a time for each of us to stand up and support what we believe in. If you believe in the value of education, in particular fine arts education - NOW IS THE TIME.
Please check back to our www.saveourfinearts.ca website regularly for future updates. If you have any questions regarding SOFA, please email us at saveourfinearts@gmail.com.



Your truly,
SOFA Organizing Committee