UPDATE: The Spectator is looking to speak to students or parents for a story who have learned the high school courses they selected to take next year are not available because of cuts. To share your story, contact reporter Natalie Paddon at 905-526-2420 or npaddon@thespec.com.

Ninety-nine Hamilton high school teachers have been told they will be laid off by the public school board.

Teachers received the news from their respective school principals Tuesday, as the board works through its budget process in the wake of funding changes announced by Ontario's Ministry of Education.

"It is with sadness and concern that we informed 99 school teachers that they have been declared redundant," said a statement from Alex Johnstone, the chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB).

Ontario education minister Lisa Thompson recently insisted no teachers would need to lose their jobs as a result of funding cuts because positions could be reduced through attrition.

Johnstone said the board will try to "pursue clarification" on the ministry's attrition program and "advocate for its expansion," which she feels could ultimately lead to a recall of those teachers affected to "ensure there is no job loss."

She added that it was uncertain when the board would be in a position to offer such recalls.

Ninety-nine positions is roughly equivalent to staffing more than two high schools.

Johnstone said the layoffs affect high school teachers with up to six years experience in the classroom. Some teachers have been told that while their position is now "redundant," they might be moved to another school.

"We are a family, the HWDSB family, and we are doing all we can to make sure our staff stays together and to reduce the local impact," she told The Spectator. "This creates enormous instability with all teachers across the system, with teachers being uprooted who have formed successful working relationships with students."

In March, the provincial government announced changes to the education system including increasing average class sizes from 22 to 28 students.

Hamilton's public school board announced in April it would cut as many as 136 staff positions, including about 79 secondary school teachers and 23 educational assistants for the 2019/2020 school year, partly because of the changes.

Last week the provincial government announced the per-pupil Grants for Student Needs, which account for most of the board's funding needs. Those grants restored some anticipated funding cuts, but not all.

Overall the government of Premier Doug Ford is increasing education funding in the province by $130 million — to $24.6 billion — an increase of .5 per cent, or about one third of the current inflation rate.

Dan Staples, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation of Hamilton-Wentworth, said blame for the instability and job losses lies not with the school board, but with the provincial government forcing the board's hand by changing the funding formula from a ratio of 22 students per teacher to ultimately 28 students per teacher.

He said students will be adversely affected, for example, in the elimination of elective and specialized courses in such areas as the arts and music, and co-op programs, and "it is only going to get worse."

Staples said he will hold a "redundancy meeting" with teachers this week: "People are learning that if they still have a job, it may no longer be at their school, and there will be lots of movement. The stress and anxiety level is high."

As for Hamilton's Catholic school board, officials say they will analyze funding over the next couple of weeks before determining the impact on staffing, said chair Pat Daly.

Two weeks ago the Catholic board handed out surplus notices to 42 high school teachers.

jwells@thespec.com

905-526-3515 | @jonjwells

With files from Natalie Paddon, The Hamilton Spectator

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