GECDSB to vote on financial recovery plan [Video]

The Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) is asking trustees to vote on a multi-year financial recovery plan to help make up a $6.3-million deficit.

Part of the plan to make up the shortfall includes eliminating 34.5 positions in the Reaching Individual Success and Excellence program, or RISE.

“You can’t be inclusive without having the right resources in place,” said Joanna Conrad, a member of the board’s special education advisory committee.

Mario Spagnuolo, local president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, said cutting RISE is not wise.

“If that RISE program’s eliminated, these kids will be thrown back into the homeroom with up to 30 kids and the teachers will have to try to meet everybody’s needs at the same time,” Spagnuolo told CTV News.

It was back in April the board’s treasurer pointed to those positions as the biggest contributor to that deficit, citing a lack of …