Federal COVID-19 Funds Help LRSD Schools
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Schools in Livingstone Range School Division are benefiting from federal funding intended to help with COVID-19-related expenses.
On August 26, 2020 the federal government announced that it would provide more than $2 billion in funding to the provinces for COVID-related school re-entry measures. On September 2, 2020 the provincial government informed Livingstone Range School Division that we would receive $1.211 million from this federal funding, distributed through the provincial government.
“School jurisdictions are able to determine how to use this funding within the parameters set out by the federal government,” says Associate Superintendent of Business Services Jeff Perry, “to meet local circumstances and needs.”
In Livingstone Range School Division, Senior Administration spent two weeks gathering information and input on where support is needed most across our Division of 14 schools and 13 Colony schools. The results were that increased staffing, support for students, and increased custodial time are the key areas where support is needed.
To that end, LRSD has hired just over 7 additional full-time equivalent teaching positions and 1.5 support staff positions since the beginning of September to support the over 400 at-home learning students. The remainder of the funds have been targeted for increased custodial time and the purchase of additional Personal Protective Equipment and cleaning/disinfecting supplies.
“The federal dollars will be used in alignment with our vision of ‘Every student, every day’,” says Jeff. “We are using that funding to make sure that our students have the teachers, supports, and safe classrooms they need to be successful.”
