Over the summer, school council wrote to the Minister of Education to raise serious concerns about the lowered allocation of staff at our school. We emphasized the impact that a lack of adequate teachers and educational assistants (EAs) has on meeting the diverse needs of our students. Unfortunately, rather than seeing improvements, an additional staff cut and another forced transfer was made on the first day of school — a decision that affects every student in our community, not just those with complex needs. These choices also put additional stress and workload on our incredible staff at HVES, which will result in burnout.

Hidden Valley has 7.6 less full-time equivalent staff at our school than the 24/25 school year. If your child had any support offered to them in previous years, the same supports may not be available for the 25/26 school year due to staffing restraints.

School council feels as though there is simply a lack of acknowledgment of our school community and our needs from the Department of Education. Our efforts and communication are going unnoticed. We need parents to reach out and voice their concerns and support for our school. Below is contact information for various positions and groups that are mandated to provide adequate supports for our children, the staff at Hidden Valley, and the school community at large.

Superintendent – Christine Franes christine.franes@yukon.ca

YFNED Advocate https://www.yfned.ca/meet-the-education-advocates

ADM Schools Carolyn Lewis-Shillington carolyn.lewis-shillington@yukon.ca

DM Education Mary Cameron mary.cameron@yukon.ca

Minister of Education – Jeanie Mclean jeanie.mclean@yukon.ca

Child Youth Advocacy Office – (867) 456-5575
info@ycao.ca

All concerns and information provided to CYAO are completely anonymously