Dianne Macaulay first got elected to the public school board four terms ago on the platform of eliminating classroom fees paid by parents.
Although much has been achieved on this front since, this mission is still her top priority.
Macaulay noted the district succeeded in eliminating all elementary school fees during her first term. Then last June, Alberta Education gave school districts extra funding so they could reduce the fees charged to parents for core subjects in high school.
As the provincial money didn’t cover the total cost, Macaulay said the Red Deer Public School Board opted to kick in another $300,000 — even if it meant digging into reserve funds — to save families from having to pay for English, math and science textbooks.
Parents of high school students are, therefore, only now paying for their extra-curricular activities, said Macaulay. But why should some students feel excluded from participating in band, drama, or sports, because of the financial burden these activities might impose? she questioned.
“There’s a lot of poverty in this city … I want to make education accessible so kids can take whatever they want, no matter what.”
If re-elected, Macaulay pledged to keep lobbying Alberta Education to provide more money so all school fees can be eliminated, saying “I have a passion to make sure education is affordable, accessible and properly funded.”
She wants the government to communicate better with school districts. “I love their initiatives, but they should be consulting more. What works in Red Deer might not work in Grande Prairie.”
As the mother of three children who are in post-secondary education, she is also a strong proponent of healthy schools – meaning for teachers as well as students.
Macaulay is part of provincial and local task forces that are promoting best practices towards achieving stronger physical and mental health through the sharing of supportive resources, as well more nutrition programs and activities.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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