October 23rd, 2013

Look for a letter to come home soon seeking your feedback on proposed bell time changes for the 2014-2015 school year.  The letter outlines the WRDSB’s need to find some cost savings  and the proposal to change school start and end times for 2014-2015 in order to better use existing bus routes and save a possible $930,000.  The note will have a comment section on the back.  Your feedback will be collected and shared with transportation personnel at the WRDSB by November 14th.

Here is the text of the letter:

Dear Silverheights Parents,

The Waterloo Region District School Board is undertaking a system fiscal review to identify opportunities to reduce cost and find efficiencies to address budget pressures. To avoid a budget deficit in 2014-2015 the board must identify a minimum of $4.6 million dollars in operational savings. The board currently spends approximately $ 1 million dollars more on student transportation costs than it receives in revenue from the Province of Ontario. One possibility is to increase walking distances so fewer students will be transported, thereby reducing costs.

Another potential cost saving measure is to increase the use of existing buses–using the same bus 2 or 3 times to pick students up in the morning and afternoon reduces overall costs. In order to do this the school bell times, the start and finish times, need to be spread out within the current guidelines of a start time between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. and an end time window of 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The following options were investigated for moving existing bell times:

-plus or minus 10 minutes= $430,000

-plus or minus 20 minutes= $930,000

-plus or minus 30 minutes=$1,050,000

At this time the board is investigating the 20 minute option. Some school communities will need to adjust their bell times up to 20 minutes. Silverheights proposed new bell times would be 10 minutes later or 8:45 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. The board would like the input of school councils about the local factors which should be considered when the board makes the final decision.

Please use the form on the back send your feedback to Brenda Moen at the school. We will be collecting all responses and sending them to the board by their November 14th deadline. Thank you for taking the time to consider this issue and give feedback.

Sincerely,

 

Brenda Moen, Principal

519) 658-9023