School Principals/Vice Principal Administration Allotment

Resolution Number: 

2020-1

Submitted By: 

Mount Stewart Consolidated Home and School Association
Resolution

WHEREAS   the current allotment of principals in Prince Edward Island schools (1 principal per 200 students and less than 20% vice principal per 200 students) is insufficient to address the needs of Prince Edward Island school children in schools with under 200 students, and

WHEREAS    the principals of a small school is most directly responsible for maintaining the relationship between the school and the community, they develop a strategy for school-community relations, and

WHEREAS    principals ensure that their schools allow both adults and children to put learning at the center of their daily activities, and

WHEREAS    principals focus on building a sense of school community, and

WHEREAS  principals play a major role in developing a “professional community” of teachers who guide one another in improving instruction, and

WHEREAS   principals that are teaching courses in schools with under 200 students are required to attend the same meetings and Professional Development as other PEI principals as well as Professional Development in their subject matter,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the PEI Home and School Federation request the Minister of Education and Lifelong Learning address principal allotment positions in Prince Edward Island schools, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the PEI Home and School Federation request the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning to demonstrate its commitment to PEI students by establishing a target of a minimum of one full time principal and one .50 vice principal for every PEI school.

DESTINATION:        Department of Education and Lifelong Learning

 

BACKGROUND:

This would directly impact 19 of PEI’s 56 English Language Schools having student populations as follows:

  1. Alberton Elementary – 118           
  2. Amherst Cove Elementary – 118
  3. Belfast Consolidated – 109
  4. Cardigan Elementary – 100
  5. Georgetown Consolidated – 57
  6. Kinkora High – 156
  7. Morell Consolidated – 175
  8. Morell Regional High – 149
  9.  Mt. Stewart Consolidated – 188
  10.  O’Leary Elementary – 109
  11.  Parkdale Elementary – 174
  12.  Somerset Consolidated 151
  13.  Southern Kings Consolidated – 188
  14.  St. Jean Elementary – 107
  15.  St. Louis Elementary– 112
  16.  Tignish Elementary – 174
  17.  Vernon River Consolidated – 183
  18.  Donagh Regional – 206
  19.  M.E. Callaghan Intermediate – 207

 

Consideration

Status: 

Passed
Monday, September 14, 2020

Destination: 

Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture
Public Schools Branch
Responses Received

Responses: 

EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING (January 25, 2021):  As you are aware, the allocation of staff to education authorities is provided for through the Minister’s Directive on Education Authority Staffing and Funding Program. It is very challenging to meet all of the staffing challenges facing the two education authorities in the province. Each year the department works with the two education authorities to prioritize their needs for the upcoming school year so these requests can be incorporated in the province’s budget process. Future enhancements to the principal allotment will be contingent on budget allocations and prioritizing the staffing needs of the education authorities.

We recognize the key role the principal plays in our schools. I am pleased that as part of additional COVID-19 staffing provided to education authorities in the 2020-21 school year there were additional allocations to enable principals in all 62 schools be released from teaching duties to focus on providing support to their students, staff and parents.

 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS BRANCH (February 16, 2021): Currently for the 2020-21 school year; staffing allocation has been updated to ensure each school in the province has staffing that is sufficient to have one administrator free from teaching duties at all times throughout the school day. For example, when the principal at Cardigan Consolidated School teaches, the Vice Principal is available for administrative duties. This was not the situation in previous years. Therefore, the PSB would be in favour of keeping the 2020-21 model in place with the support of the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning (DELL).