Fewer teaching positions in Regina public schools in 2017-18

The school year is ending soon for Regina public school students, butwhen they return in the fall, they mightnotice classrooms are a little more crowded.

The division recently passed its 2017-2018 budget, which included a number of cost-cutting measures.

It approved a reduction of the equivalent of 22 full-time classroom teaching positions,which the division'sdirector of education says is being done through attrition and reassignments.

"It was important for us to be positioned to continue our good work focused on student achievement and, thus, our efforts focused on keeping as many staff positions in front of students as possible," Greg Enion said in a note to teachers this week.

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With fewer teachers, the student-to-teacher ratio will increase by around 0.48.

Another 7.75 "full-time equivalent" positionswill be eliminated from the division office.

The Regina public schoolboard had to grapple with a$9.5 million budget shortfall in the wake of the provincial budgetearlier this spring.

As a result, itplans toswitch from half-day Kindergarten classes five days a week to full day sessions every other daya move expected to save $446,000.

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Other cuts includethe elimination of outdoor education programs, like swimming, canoeing or curling, and the alternative suspension program at the YMCA.

The boardplans to dip into into reserve funds and use $1 million to help balance the books.

Here's what's being discontinuedin September 2017:

• High school registration centre
• Non-ministry designated early entrance programs tobe phased out
• Outdoor education programscanoeing, curling and swimming
• Alternative to suspension program at the YMCA

Starting in the fall,only students who live more than one kilometre from their school will be eligible for bus service, which will save around $1.35 million in transportation costs.

More than 500new students

In September, the division will welcome 576 new students.

Three new joint-use schools will also open:cole Connaught School, Scott Collegiate at the Mmawyatitn Centre, and the new Allan Blakeney Adult Campus.