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= IM EDUCATION "HALTON CATHOLIC ~~ [-- BOARD WAITS ON FES FUTURE OF $900,000 h cem De . A : , a . ' _ 3 } " iQ a TE GRANTS Milton Canadian Champion | Thursday IN PROVINCIAL ANNOUNCED CUTS TOUCH: ON INDIGENOUS EDUCATION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAMS AND A PROJECT TO HELP DROPOUTS FINISH HIGH SCHOOL SAIRA PEESKER speesker@metroland.com The province's abrupt * cancellation of a swath of school grants will lead to cuts in indigenous educa- tion, student leadership opportunities and physi- cal activity programs at Halton's Catholic school board. The provincial cuts were announced Dec. 14 and total $25 million ____ across Ontario. Ten board programs will no longer be funded by provincial "Education Projects -- Other" (EPO) grants. They include liter- acy programs; supports to help students access post- secondary education; a "project to help dropouts finish high school; indige- nous learning initiatives; physical activity pro- grams; a grant to help stu- dents run special events and conferences; and an equity and inclusion stu- dent leadership program. Halton Catholic Dis- trict School Board Trea- surer Roxana Negoi says board staff is still working , ' to sort out what the cuts will mean at the school level. She says the board receives more than $1.5 million annually in "addi- tional" grants in recent years, but not all have been cancelled.. Communications offi- - cer Amanda Bartucci said, based on what has been communicated from the ministry so far, there will be no job losses as a result. Most of the can- celled programs have al- ready been funded and ex- ecuted for the last time, meaning the board isn't on the hook for' money that has been spent and now won't be paid back. "There's no financial impact there, per se, but Milton's Best New Years Eve Ye= insidehalton.com Riziero Vertolli/ Metroland Media - Ten Halton Catholic District School Board programs will no longer be funded as a result of a provincial government decision to cancel EPO grants. service-wise, there will be an impact," said Negoi in a Dec. 19 phone call. However, it won't re- ceive $108,111 for technolo- gy and innovation pro- jects that has already been spent. The province has also indicated that grants around, experiential learning, a renewed math strategy and safe schools/ mental health are being examined and may be re- negotiated. Last year, the board received nearly $900,000 for those pro- grams. The board plans to find other ways to continue some of the cancelled pro- gramming, but saving all of'it won't be possible. "There's certain things we've been doing in the schools we will want to continue," said Negoi. "We need to wrap our heads around (all of the details)." The board expects that Upon Arrival Midnight Toast qe Selection of Stationed Buffet Dinner irse Full Servi e SitDown Din Sparkling Bottle per Table BEY Host Bar until 1:30 am Night Sweet and Snack Table DJ Entertainment Top 100/Retr RE aA Te oe & Roll Hits Upscale Festive Decor Monday, December 31st, 2018 Reception and Cocktails at 6:30pm Open until 2am Call for details 905.878.7934 $ Buy a table of i0 people $130.00 per person MEY CER EE REL Tables are Reserved with 10 Guests 25+ Years of Age Event ily the program to help re- turning' students finish Grade 12 will continue, said Colin McGillicuddy, Superintendent of Educa- tion, School Services. "The funding amount is small and we defray costs through the Thomas Merton Centre for Con- tinuing Education that we would otherwise cover ourselves," he said in a Dec. 20 email, noting the program serves about 120 students. 4 person (Taxes Included) Student trustee Ste- phanie Mazza says she and her peers feel upset that they weren't con- sulted, and uneasy about what the cuts could mean for school programming. "Stakeholders should -be involved in any major decisions," she said Dec. 20. "There's so many dif- ferent groups of students who will be affected... The wellbeing of our genera- tion as a whole has been compromised." www thegrandchalet ca 324 Steeles Avenue, Nien ON (Minutes fromlwy 401 and Hwy 25)