The Grande Prairie and District Catholic School Division is planning to take on a student nutrition program independently with government, cutting-out local community support.
For 22 years, the Education Foundation of GPCSD have been providing students with snacks and meals to all schools under the division. But as of Thursday, Jan. 22nd, the education foundation was told verbally that the school board plans to take that role on themselves.
Chair of the Education Foundation Ralph Wohlgemuth says that the foundation received very little communication about the change.
“There has been no consultation, no conversation with the foundation board or the staff. That is the heartbreaking part of this, why did you make the decision in the way that you did,” he said.
In a comment made on social media, the school board says that this change will help “maximize efficiency.”
“The Grande Prairie and District Catholic School Division will continue to provide a Nutrition Program to the students in their care. School divisions now receive sustainable and predictable Nutrition Program funding from the province, and this year we have received subsidies from the federal government as well. Thus, our Nutrition Program will continue to operate and benefit the students of GPCSD. However, in order to maximize efficiency and minimize administrative costs, we will follow the pathway of many other districts throughout the province and manage this program utilizing an Operational Committee from within the division. Thank you for your patience as we make this transition.”
In the past, Wohlgemuth has worked as a Trustee for the school board, believes the change involves more factors.
“They alluded to trying that they could approve the efficiently of the program, and that there was some financial reporting pieces that they needed to make happen for the program funding. Both of which is what I think are covers for something else that they are doing.”
Wohlgemuth says more then 24 current local organizations contribute towards their foundation.
“There is a lot of community support out their for this program. Running a snack program is a non-core skill for an education district, I don’t think an organization that doesn’t have those core skills can deliver on it more efficiently then the one honing that process to make every dollar deliver more food for children.”
