Parents will be stuck footing this bill for most school supplies this upcoming school year.
The Medicine Hat Public School Division is trying to find ways to save money while faced with budget cuts.
The division’s board met for its monthly meeting Tuesday and decided that students would be providing their own supplies for the upcoming school year.
The decision comes after the provincial government cancelled a grant for more than $600,000 that helped the school board supply students with some of their necessary supplies.
“Unfortunately we are in an unfavourable position going into the next budget,” said director of finance Leanne Dulle. “One of the big things we’re facing is the reduction of that fee replacement grant. We made the decision to no longer provide students with supplies and the schools decentralized budget have decreased accordingly.
“This is similar to what our neighbouring jurisdictions have been doing.”
Dulle added that the school board understands this will be difficult for families.
“Even before COVID, this was a tricky one,” she said. “This is perhaps even more difficult now in our community with different financial situations.”
Parents that cannot afford to provide supplies to their children can speak with school administration for help.
Parents will be asked to supply pens, pencils, paper, whiteboard markers, crayons, pencil crayons and markers. Other items like notebooks, scrapbooks, agendas, scissors, geometry sets, calculators and headphones will also be provided by parents.
The school division will continue to supply paints, clay, construction paper, printing paper and technology devices.
Each grade level within a school will have the same supply list. Different schools will have different lists of what needs to be provided, but all grades across the schools will fall into the same price range. Schools will send letters to parents of what is needed to be provided.
Parents are able to buy supplies where ever they like.
