‘But there is space’ Strong Start facilitator criticizes school board’s decision to cut three programs

This story has been updated since first posting to include additional information.

The school board’s justification for shuttering three of the district’s Strong Start programs don’t stand up to scrutiny, according one Strong Start facilitator.

On Tuesday night, the School District #43 board unanimously approved a $510-million budget that cuts spending for Strong Start – a pre-kindergarten program designed to help young children adapt to school through music, art, play and story time.

“We do acknowledge that there will be some disappointment with respect to the changes to Strong Start,” board chair Michael Thomas said.

The Strong Start centres at Central and Meadowbrook elementary schools are set to be closed due to space needs. Following the fire that razed the school last October, the Hazel Trembath Strong Start program is also closed.

Other changes include moving the Rochester Elementary Strong Start to Mundy Road elementary and shifting the Roy Stibbs Strong Start to Kilmer Elementary. Both of those changes were made to keep a Strong Start presence in the area, stated school district assistant director of communications Ken Hoff.

Besides accounting for many competing budget priorities, the board is faced with two major roadblocks when it comes to Strong Start, Thomas said Tuesday.

“We are short on space. We are short on funds.”

Strong Start facilitator Susan Donald disputed that assessment.

“No space . . . is something that we’re constantly told. But there is space. Those classrooms are not being utilized,” she said.

Eight of the district’s Strong Start programs run in the mornings, Donald said.

“That means that they have vacant space in the afternoon.”

For some mothers living in shelters, Strong Start is a place they can feel safe with their children, Donald added.

“Now you’re going to take it away,” she said. “I’m not sure how I feel about that as a community member.”

About 1,400 students are registered for Strong Start, not including refugees and newcomers, according to Cedar Drive Elementary Strong Start facilitator Julia Punzo.

During a previous meeting, secretary treasurer Randy Manhas said provincial funding failed to keep pace with inflation and salary increases.

“If your salary didn’t go up for 16 years, would you be able to afford what you are doing right now?” he asked.

The province maintained that Strong Start funding is “fully intact” and has not been cut, according to a statement from the Ministry of Education and Childcare.

The province funds Strong Start on a per centre basis. When School District #43 was operating 13 Strong Starts, the province provided $416,000. With 10 Strong Start programs set to run in 2024/25, the province is providing $320,000.

The approved budget earmarked $400,000 in Strong Start funding, including $80,000 from the school district’s operating fund.

The closures will also mean job cuts, with the equivalent of 1.5 full-time workers being laid off. However, those workers may be able to find other jobs in School District #43, Hoff stated.

“We are confident that there will be employment opportunities within the district,” he wrote in an email to the Dispatch.

“While school districts undergo 2024/25 budget planning, it’s up to the districts, not the province, to make the decision on their budget and continue this valued program,” the Ministry of Education and Childcare stated in an email to the Dispatch.

The budget was an effort: “to limit the impact of shortfalls to limit the impact of shortfalls while maintaining supports for vulnerable students and maximizing resources,” according to a release from the school district.

“The insights gathered during consultations with the Coquitlam Teachers’ Association, CUPE 561, the Coquitlam Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association, and the District Parents’ Advisory Council were invaluable. The board takes pride in passing a budget that is both responsive and financially sustainable, fostering an environment where students and staff can thrive,” Superintendent Patricia Gartland stated in the release.