The Rocky View School Division and other school boards large and small recently attended a two day meeting in Calgary, the subject of which was changes to the Alberta school act.

 RVS Superintendent Greg Luterbach says he, along with Darrell Couture, Associate Superintendent of Business And Operations, trustees Fiona Gilbert and Norma Lang, plus a parent from Cochrane who serves on a school council attended the meeting, which also included the Calgary Board of Education and other school boards.

Luterbach says Education Minister David Eggen didn't attend the meeting but ministry staff were holding these types of meetings around the province. "Based on the feedback they received they would consider what to bring back to the minister for possible changes to the school act. 

According to Luterbach, much of the two day's of discussion focused on the controversial Bill One and school and transportation fees. 

"The first day was pretty much solely focused on school fees and school transportation fees and there was robust conversation to be had on those two topics alone."

Luterbach says Rocky View wasn't the only school division that was struggling with some of the impacts resulting from Bill One - An Act to Reduce School Fees. 

"The concept is noble and well supported but the lack of ability to shape those rules in advance, so we were reacting, so that was a common message that a number of school divisions shared is that they would have preferred to have been able to provide input and feedback on these before they become on the floor or being discussed because we think there's some things that might have helped with implementation."

Luterbach says while the meeting was helpful to talk to ministry staff and share concerns, the school divisions need to take a multi faceted approach to the issue.  

"You can't assume you go to a consultation for two days and say your piece and you're done and move one.  We continue to take any opportunity provided to try to provide feedback to the government.  Our trustees have been active, they've already sent a letter expressly around how school transportation fees are being applied to French Immersion students.  The Board is going to write down the concerns that were shared at the consultations and send them directly to the minister."

Luterbach thinks ministry staff at the meeting were receptive to their concerns.  "The concerns were fairly common across all boards, no matter your size or your geography, that were in the room over those two days."

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