Calgary public school cuts to possibly affect maintenance staff

Public schools in Calgary could be a lot dirtier this fall.

The Calgary Board of Education's superintendent presented his report to trustees on how to cover its $29-million shortfall and one idea is to cut custodial staff.

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The union representing caretaking and maintenance staff at the CBE estimates as many as 40 full-time custodial positions could be on the chopping block.

"I was talking to a friend yesterday who is running a school that is three stories, 28,000 square feet he'll be all byhimself next year," said Bob Anderson, president of CUPE Local 40.

The CBE report suggests increasing the number of single-custodian schools.

Anderson says it's not a job one person can do on their own.

"It's physically impossible. We have time studies through a number of different sources that give us the actual time that it takes to do all of the tasks requested and the two don't equal," he told the Calgary Eyeopener on Wednesday.

Anderson is concerned fewer custodians could result in more viruses and bacteria being spread in Calgary schools.

Kids clean schools in Japan and Oregon

There is an alternative way ofkeeping school cleans, according toDavid Peabody, who used to teachat elementary and junior high schools in Japan.

In an email to the Calgary Eyeopener, Peabody wrote:

"Everyday at the end of classes the entire school would clean the school in and out. Students under teacher supervision. This might not be a perfect solution but it did teach the students about work ethic, and gave them some pride in their school."

Grade 6 to 12 studentsat a small public charter school in Phoenix, Ore., are responsible for cleaning their schoolclassrooms, bathrooms andkitchen.

"They sweep, they mop, clean surfaces, stack chairs. Empty the dishwasher, load the dishwasher," saidKim De Costa, executive director and co-founder ofArmadillo Technical Institute.

The school only has 101 students, but De Costa thinks it could work in larger environments.

"I think you need to break it down in smaller, manageable systems," she said.

De Costa says teachers also pitch in and parents rarely have anycomplaints.

"The parents usually are pretty excited about it because they hope it will carry over at home."