School inequality worries home and school

The P.E.I. Home and School Federation is calling for a fair distribution of technology inthe province'sclassrooms because it says current inequalities have created have and have-not schools.

The question of unequal resources for schools on P.E.I. was a central part of the Home and School Federation's semi-annual meeting in Hunter River on Tuesday night.

'A lot of schools still have chalk boards. We're not even talking smart board technology.' Owen Parkhouse, P.E.I. Home and School Federation

About 60 parents attended the meeting, which school board superintendents, board chairs, and the deputy minister of education attended as observers.

There were six resolutions discussed, dealing with improving access to educational assistants, standardized tests and making sure there are white boards in every classroom.

"There is differences Island-wide with respect to curriculum outcomes, the infrastructure, new technology always around the corner," said federation president Owen Parkhouse.

"We were talking about getting basic dry erase boards for the schools. A lot of schools still have chalk boards. We're not even talking smart board technology. The financial limitations are really starting to hit home with our children. We're seeing that in the results where P.E.I. is at the bottom of the list."

New school, new technology

Classrooms at Stratford Elementary School are equipped with LCD projectors, mimeos a type of smart board and an FM transmitter to make sure students hear teachers.

"The more you can teach to all the senses, the more likely you are to get students engaged in this activity," said Grade 6 teacher Diana Tuttey.

All the technology at the new school is paid for by the province.

Older schools tend to have fewer gadgets.

At West Kent Elementary School, there's a smart board in every classroom as part of a pilot project, but that's an exception as far as elementary schools go.

Some have one or two smart boards per school, paid for by parent fundraising, and some have none at all.

St. Jean Elementary School is one of the schools without the advanced technology.

Paying for technology

The St. Jean Home and School Association has been raising money for sports equipment, field trips and a new playground.

Parents don't think they should have topay for smart boards as well, especially when other schools didn't have to pay for theirs.

"All schools should have equal opportunity every where," said parent Erin Hennessey.

"If one school has one thing, so should they all."

The province said its focus so far has been on getting smart boards in Island high schools and more technology will eventually come to lower grades.

"We are committed to putting LCD projectors in every classroom in the next two years," said Sandy MacDonald, the deputy ministerfor theprovincial Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

"If our data shows us that smart boards are the way to go in elementary and in junior high, we'll get them. If they show us something else, then we'll go in that direction as well."

But the federation said parents are becoming increasing dissatisfied, some are talking about moving to communities where the schools are better equipped.

"We don't want to see communities changing their demographics based on whether a school is technologically advanced or not," Parkhouse said Wednesday.

If there isn't enough equipment for every classroom, Parkhouse said what is available should be distributed more evenly so all students can benefit.