Wolf Creek Public Schools (WCPS) have finally gathered enough funds to hire a school resource officer (SRO) for Ponoka.
Initially WCPS wanted to split the cost three ways between themselves, Ponoka County and the Town of Ponoka. WCPS was willing to pay $65,000, a majority of the town and county. But without the town’s support they would pay $90,000 over the next three years.
The town twice denied supporting the venture.
Ponoka County is donating $40,000 per year for the next three years and WCSP is contributing $30,000 per year.
This left a difference of $60,000. Ponoka Composite High School and Ponoka Elementary School are both putting forth $15,000 and Ponoka Outreach School is contributing $10,000. The money is coming from the school’s instructional budgets, which is based on credits they generate (high school) of the student grants they get (kindergarten to Grade 9).
The remaining $20,000 needed to support the SRO was brought forth from First Nations, Métis, Inuit funding (FNMI). It took an additional six months to find the extra funding needed.
However, superintendent Larry Jacobs says the extra support is a one-year deal and after the 2013/14 school year the schools need to be prepared to take on the $60,000.
While Jacobs says he can’t judge the town he feels it isn’t just the school board’s responsibility to pay for the SRO because they — and what they’ll be providing in the schools — is a benefit to the whole community.
“A school resource officer is not a police officer in schools but a figure to break down barriers between the legal system and what students are actually doing,” said Jacobs.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Cameron Chisholm is in the on the process of finding an RCMP officer to fit the role, said Jacobs.