Rather than apply for the Alberta Healthy School Community Initiatives themselves, the Wolf Creek Public Schools board of trustees is allowing individual schools to do it themselves if they so choose.
There are several grants pertaining to different themes and grade levels available through the initiative. However, applicants must demonstrate a commitment to wellness by providing funding in return, in the form of school jurisdiction contribution.
“Why is a grant not just a grant?” asked trustee Lorrie Jess, who was unhappy and felt the school jurisdiction contribution was a catch.
For example, the School District Wellness Implementation Grant gives a school a total of $120,000 over a three-year period and in return, the school must contribute $60,000 back, over the same amount of time.
‘That’s a big chunk of change. That’s not in our budget, we didn’t budget for that,” said Jess.
Superintendent Larry Jacobs told the board if they were to apply for the grant, the money would have had to come from reserves.