Cleaning up after flooding at LRHS. Photo Bradley Judge, South Shore Regional Centre of Education

A teacher is being credited with preventing extensive damage to Liverpool Regional High School when they discovered flooding over March Break.

Around 6:30 Saturday night the teacher returned to school and noticed water on the floor.

They notified the custodian who traced the leak to a defective filter under the sink in the second-floor cooking lab.

Water had soaked the floor and flowed through the first-floor ceiling.

The custodian contacted the operations department at South Shore regional centre for education and it wasn’t long before custodians and staff from several other schools across Liverpool arrived to help clean up.

Within three hours the custodians had dried all the water and a restoration contractor was brought in to assess the extent of the damage.

In addition to many ceiling tiles coming down, ceilings in the change rooms and in the wood shop had to be taken down and will be replaced.

Flooding damaged tech ed shop and locker rooms at LRHS. Photo Bradley Judge South Shore Regional Centre of Education

Coordinator of Operations Bradley Judge says that work is underway and will continue into next week.

But any students or staff hoping for an extended break will be disappointed.

“No worries at all about reopening. It’ll be reopened safely after March Break. We still may have a few areas left to touch up. But talking to the admin people at the school we can work around it,” said Judge. “For example, if the tech ed shop isn’t 100 percent good to go they can use another area. So very slight inconvenience, luckily.”

Judge expects the school should be back to normal within a couple of weeks thanks to the quick actions of everyone involved.

“It’s very lucky. There was a lot of water and if that teacher hadn’t have walked in it would’ve been far worse than what it was,” said Judge. “And if our staff wouldn’t have cleaned it up as quickly and as efficiently as they did we would’ve been facing something different.”

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NSGEU President Sandra Mullen speaks to a striking working in Chester. Photo courtesy NSGEU

School support workers are a week into their strike with no end in sight.

The members of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) Local 70 and 73 representing the South Shore and Annapolis Valley are striking to demand equal pay with their counterparts across the province.

NSGEU president Sandra Mullen says the pay scale for every other civil servant in Nova Scotia is the same regardless of where they live, and school workers should be no different.

“The wage for a nurse is the same no matter where they work and the MLAs. The base salary for an MLA is the same across this province whether they are in Metro, Sydney or Yarmouth or in between, it’s the same,” said Mullen.

Striking union members were in the Nova Scotia Legislature on Tuesday to allow MLAs to put a face on the workers on the picket line.

On the floor, NDP MLA Kendra Coombes asked Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Becky Druhan why someone working in the minister’s own riding shouldn’t be paid the same as someone from the city.

The minister replied her government supports parity for all workers across the province, but her department is not directly involved in negotiations.

“There seems to be a misconception across the table as to who exactly is party to the collective agreements that we have in place in education,” said Druhan. “I’d like to remind the members that the parties to our agreements in education are the Regions or the CSAP and the unions. Those are the parties who bargain these deals, those are the parties who are negotiating.”

Mullen isn’t buying it.

She says under the previous school board structure each board would set their own budget and work within it when bargaining wages.

Mullen says since the previous Liberal government under Stephen McNeil abolished the school boards and created the Regional Centres for Education, the money is funnelled from the department so there’s no reason not to set provincial standards for wages.

“So, I believe they’re just throwing it back on the Regional Centre for Education as the employer. Perhaps they are the employer but there’s no doubt in my mind that the decisions they make come from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning [Development],” said Mullen. “That is how we have seen pre-primary programs put in every school is because its provincial it’s the same. So, if we’re going to offer the same curriculum, the same programs in all of those schools, support, outreach programs, all of those things, there’s no reason why they can’t be paid the same.”

A conciliator has invited the Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education and NSGEU Local 73 back to the table for a meeting Friday.

No word yet on when the South Shore Regional Centre for Education and its union will return to negotiations.

Meanwhile, striking workers are resolved to stay out of schools and walking picket lines until they get equal pay for equal work.

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Striking school workers walk a picket line in Liverpool, N.S. October 25, 2022. Photo courtesy Susan MacLeod

Members of NSGEU Local 70 began their strike Tuesday morning carrying signs and waving at passing motorists as they marched along Bristol Avenue.

The union is bargaining with the South Shore Regional Centre for Education to ensure every member of the union is being paid the same for doing the same work no matter where they work in Nova Scotia.

Workers on the picket line were appreciative of drivers who honked as they passed.

One worker, who didn’t wish to be identified, said despite the support, the line is the last place anyone wanted to be.

“We were all wishing we were at work, for sure. I work with pre-primary, and I was certainly missing the kids and we saw some of them go by. Definitely, wishing we were at work, for sure, but feeling that it was time to take a stand.”

The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union represents the 130 workers who walked off the job Tuesday.

NSGEU officials want the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to ensure if a worker does a job in South Shore, they’re paid the same as anywhere else in the province.

It appears government has no intention of intervening in the negotiation process between the workers’ union and their employer, the regional centre for education.

In an email, Government of Nova Scotia spokesperson, Andrew Preeper wrote:

“The NSGEU and its members have identified wage parity across regional centres for education as a key priority. The employer proposed a way to achieve wage parity, including wage increases as well as a process to review positions to ensure compensation fairness and parity. The exact mechanism to achieve this would be discussed at the bargaining table. We respect the parties and the bargaining process and believe discussions with labour unions should happen at the bargaining table, not in public. 

Our ongoing hope is that employers can reach an agreement with their locals through the collective bargaining process.”

The worker on the picket line says they will settle for nothing less than equal pay with their counterparts across the province.

They warn these walkouts could be the first of many that will involve other school staff.

“We hear rumblings that the bus drivers are next, and the TAs in the South Shore will be in the new year. Because, down here, that the teaching assistants aren’t part of this union, but same issues is [sic] wage parity.”

In addition to the walk outs, NSGEU is taking their strike action online and asking people to fill out messages of support from their website and Facebook page.

Currently union locals in the Annapolis Valley and South Shore regions are on strike.

They could soon be joined by Local 74 in Tri-Counties who rejected their latest contract offer by 98 percent.

The NSGEU and local representatives have decided to hold off on that strike action until they see if an updated offer is coming from the employer in the next week.

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Lawn signs welcome the lifting of mask mandates in school. Photo Ed Halverson

Reaction is mixed as students won’t be required to wear masks in school for the first time when they return to class after the Victoria Day long weekend.

Masks have been mandatory in most indoor public places across Nova Scotia since July 31, 2020.

When the restrictions are lifted May 24 the province will be the last in Canada to remove mask mandates in schools.

When announcing the policy change Friday, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Becky Druhan said masks will continue to be recommended and anyone who chooses to wear a mask will be supported.

In a release, Druhan said, “Masks helped schools mitigate the impact of COVID-19’s sixth wave. But as warmer weather approaches in June and classes can spend more time outdoors, and with Nova Scotia’s health data and school attendance data improving, now is the time to make masks optional in schools.”

In response to the announcement Doctors Nova Scotia tweeted out, “While the school mask mandate is being lifted beginning May 24, masks are still recommended in indoor spaces.”

Minister Druhan echoed the sentiment.

In her statement Druhan said, “We strongly encourage students and staff to continue to wear masks, and we will continue to support staff and students as well as continue to supply masks and hand sanitizer.”

In an interview with CBC, the chief of paediatrics at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Dr. Andrew Lynk warned that his facility is already stretched to its limits.

Lynk went on to say paediatricians across the province had hoped masking in schools would remain in place until the end of the school year on June 30 to prevent a rise in the number of children coming to hospital with COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.

The weekly COVID update released by the province May 19 shows the number of new cases and hospitalizations continues to decline.

However, 24 people died as a result of COVID for the seven-day period ending May 16; 22 were aged 70 or older and nine lived in long-term care homes.

In an email to the school community Regional Executive Director of South Shore Regional Centre for Education Paul Ash said students, staff and visitors are encouraged to continue following core public health measures, including vaccinations, staying home if feeling unwell, following the COVID-19 daily checklist, and washing and sanitizing hands frequently.

Ash says while masks are no longer required, schools will continue to make them available to anyone who wishes.

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International students atop Castle Rock in Chester. Photo Yumimphotography courtesy SSRCE

As Nova Scotia reopens its borders, staff at the South Shore Regional Centre for Education are looking for families to open their homes to international students.

The program was effectively shut down during COVID and only reopened in February.

Director for the International Student Program at SSRCE Steven McGill is impressed with how quickly the program has rebounded.

“Prior to the pandemic, we usually, for our South Shore, would get between 40 to 60 students arrive in February for second semester. Currently we have 49 students with us. So, it’s almost back to pre-COVID numbers.”

When the provincial government made the decision not to allow international students into public schools in August 2020 some recruiters said Nova Scotia’s reputation would be hurt.

McGill says despite enrolment in the program being comparable to pre-pandemic years he will be reaching out to reconnect with those recruitment agencies.

“I would imagine that some agents and some agencies have gone elsewhere but if they have, then there are other agencies and agents that are definitely willing to send students our way. But obviously, there’s some trust that we have to gain back and some rebuilding of relationships that we have to do moving forward.”

McGill says the program typically welcomes 100 to 125 students each September and sees no reason why they shouldn’t expect to meet that target this year.

He says there’s no shortage of students from around the world who want to come to study in Nova Scotia.

“We would love to have even more host families. It’s not a matter of not having students wanting to come to the program, come to Nova Scotia. It’s the matter of being able to find the host families to have them and of course, having the schools to have the numbers as well, to be able to welcome international students in their classrooms.”

McGill says host families are needed in North Queens and the Forest Heights areas as those schools currently have space but no host families.

He says it’s not just students who benefit from the experience of living with families in Nova Scotia.

“We’ve got host families that now have, they call them their grandchildren or great-grandchildren even, because of the relationships that they formed. Many families have either gone to visit their past international students and vice-versa, international students have now graduated and have their own jobs and have come to visit so, definitely keeping in touch. It can be a life-changing experience for everyone involved for sure.”

McGill says some host families sign on for a short term to see if the program works for them before deciding to accept a student into their home for a full year.

He says families will be supported by a team of homestay coordinators who will help families and students settle in and get the most out of the experience.

Information on how to become a host family to an international student is available on the SSRCE website.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
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L-R Denise Crouse, Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Becky Druhan and SSRCE Regional Executive Director Paul Ash. Photo Ed Halverson

A new pilot project running in the South Shore aims to keep students safer when travelling to and from school.

An extended stop arm has been installed on the bus serving route 245 in Hebbville to reduce red-light violations when students are entering or exiting the bus.

The new arm extends 6.5 feet out from the vehicle into the oncoming traffic lane and includes two stop signs which light up when the bus is stopped.

Transportation coordinator with South Shore Regional Centre for Education Denise Crouse says across Canada, only two other jurisdictions in BC are currently using the new arm.

“They’re seeing a huge decrease so we wanted to bring it on to the East coast to see what our data will show and what impact it will have in terms of student safety in Nova Scotia,” said Crouse.

The Hebbville bus route has the highest proportion of the 178 red light violations the SSRCE has recorded this year.

The regional office will compare those numbers with data collected on the route until the end of the year to determine if more buses will receive the extended stop arm.

Crouse says this pilot project builds on efforts the region has been making to improve student safety.

“We’ve had cameras on our fleet for a number of years but they’re not on our entire fleet,” said Crouse. “For this particular route we do have exterior cameras to catch the driver’s photo and capture their license plate which we need here in Nova Scotia in order to lay a charge.”

Each arm costs approximately $5,500 and is designed to break away if it is hit by a vehicle.

Crouse says if the pilot shows a significant reduction in red light violations the extended arms could be installed on buses across the region in a phased approach.

“It could be something that we would do on a yearly basis, so many buses per year, as we do with our camera systems,” said Crouse.

Passing a school bus from any direction when its lights are flashing is illegal in Nova Scotia.

Motorists can receive a $410 fine and a penalty of six points on their license.

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SSRCE School Bus. Photo Ed Halverson

The recent bout of snowstorms and school cancellations have caused headaches for many across the South Shore but none more than Paul Ash.

As regional executive director for the South Shore Centre for Education (SSRCE) Ash makes the decision to close schools when weather makes driving conditions too dangerous.

“It’s the most difficult decision that I have in the role of a regional executive director. We have 6,380 students in our region. More than 6,100 of them are part of our daily transportation to school,” said Ash. “The safety of our students is the upmost importance.”

Ash and his team look at the road conditions across 90 bus routes that bring students to class.

“With changing weather conditions related to climate change, it’s become even more complex in the last number of years. I mean we see that in our region it could be raining in in one part of our region and snowstorm in another or it’s even more difficult when we’re looking at situations around icing, which is extremely difficult to predict as well,” said Ash.

SSRCE Executive Director Paul Ash. Photo Ed Halverson

When weather is expected, Ash says transportation coordinators from across Nova Scotia begin conferring around 4:30 in the morning.

They speak with representatives from the provincial public works department and compare notes on road conditions before presenting that information and advising their respective executive directors around 5:15am.

Ash says it’s important students attend school as much as possible and not just for their education.

“We’re very mindful of the impact of any cancellation on families. I know that that may make the difference for a particular family in terms of their income if they’re unable to get to work that day,” said Ash. “That’s the other side of the coin which makes it extremely difficult around these decisions.”

Depending on the severity of the snow or ice storm it can take days for road crews to clear less travelled roads.

Ash says on those days the region will move to a back road closure plan when students need to get themselves to a main road to catch their bus to school.

He says the fact attendance has remained high throughout this school year speaks to the importance parents and students place on their education.

Ash says people will always criticize a decision to close schools but he would rather err on the side of keeping students safe.

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Photo Ed Halverson

Icy conditions put a school bus off the road Tuesday morning.

Route 282 serving West Northfield Elementary slid off the road while transporting 17 students to their morning classes.

There were no injuries and RCMP and first responders attended the scene

No one from South Shore Regional Centre for Education was available for comment but Coordinator of Communications Ashley Gallant sent an e-mail statement which read:

“Safety is always our top priority and we take great care in the decision to cancel school. Our staff consult various resources before the decision is made, including professional weather forecasts, Nova Scotia Public Works, and checking road conditions firsthand.

This morning, after reviewing weather forecasts along with current and forecasted road conditions, the decision was made to keep schools open but implement back road closure plans. This means, buses do not travel on back roads.

Nova Scotia weather can change quickly and can be challenging to predict. We make the best decision we can at the time, with the information available and safety is always the deciding factor.”

Photos of the scene posted to social media show the school bus upright in a snow-filled ditch, tracks from the bus still apparent in the ice-covered road.

School staff contacted parents to inform them of the accident and another bus was sent to bring students to school.

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Photo Ed Halverson

A downed power line briefly trapped students inside a bus Monday afternoon.

Shortly after 3:00pm a bus carrying 23 students on route 122 from Liverpool Regional High School, South Queens Middle School and John C Wickwire Academy, encountered the power line on Barss Street in Liverpool.

Captain John Long of the Liverpool Fire Department explains what led to the downed line.

“Another vehicle had hit the pole, or rubbed the pole and pulled the mast off the house. The bus came along and didn’t notice the low-hanging wire and so it got tangled up in it,”said Long. “As soon as they realized what they were in they stopped the bus and called for help.”

South Shore Regional Centre for Education officials contacted the parents of the 23 students on board to make them aware of the situation.

Nova Scotia Power, Liverpool Fire Department, and RCMP worked together to remove the line from the bus.

The ordeal lasted about an hour but with no air conditioning and temperatures approaching 30 degrees in the mid-afternoon, the only relief students had from the heat was to open the windows.

Liverpool Fire Department provided students with bottled water when they were able to exit the bus.

Some parents arrived to pick up their children from the incident site.

SSRCE Communications Coordinator Ashley Gallant says students were checked out by EHS before being released.

Gallant credits the quick actions of the bus driver for ensuring the safety of everyone on the bus.

“Really have to give some recognition to the bus driver who immediately recognized that something wasn’t right and stopped, according to procedures and contacted Nova Scotia Power, as we should,” said Gallant. “So it’s really the best outcome here. Everybody was safe and no injuries.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
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