In attempt to balance a multimillion-dollar deficit, the Vancouver School Board may eliminate the administrative role responsible for managing district-wide sport leagues and tournaments for 20,000 students at nearly 130 public elementary and secondary schools.
The athletic co-ordinator is on the chopping block for the second time since 2014, when the VSB faced a $26.6 million deficit, a massive amount that was still less than the shortfall of $27.3 million anticipated for the upcoming school year.
The projected budget for the 2016/17 school year is $477 million, with 93 per cent coming from provincial grants.
Eliminating the athletic coordinator, a role represented by CUPE, will save the district nearly $77,000 a year in annual salary and benefits. The position was not cut two years ago. Before adopting the budget and its cutbacks to numerous programs, the board was bailed out by the provincial government but not before teachers and coaches feared school sports leagues simply "would not run" without the district manager.
“It is such a low-budget item that has so much impact,” said Mike Allina, the president of the Vancouver Secondary School Athletic Association.
“It’s beyond me because, really and truly, is it just for show? Is it something they want to show the public how they are underfunding schools? Because it shouldn’t be used as a pawn," he said.
Allina said the job entails coordinating dozens of student-athletes from Grades 6 through 12 during three sports seasons that include 32 city championships as well as an elementary cross-country meet that can count more than 3,000 students from kindergarten to Grade 7.
Teachers can’t speak at the budget hearings next week, but Allina prepared talking points for supporters such as community coaches, parents and players. In 2014 when the position was first threatened, advocates formed Friends of Athletics to voice concerns over cutbacks to sports. They argued volunteers save the district roughly $2 million each year.
Public input on the preliminary budget for the 2016/2017 school year is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 12 at Van Tech secondary on West Broadway. Presenters can register by emailing [email protected].
