(Jaryn Vecchio/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS

Sask. Rivers using reserve funds to balance 2023/24 budget

Jun 20, 2023 | 2:00 PM

The Sask. Rivers Public School Division has approved its budget for next year but said the extra funding from the province is still not enough.

During the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, CFO Jerrold Pidborochynski presented the proposed 2023/24 budget, including the recent additional funds announced by the province. An extra $900,000 was given to the SRPSD as part of a province-wide funding top-up of $40 million.

Despite that extra funding, the Board still had to use $975,000 of its reserve funds to balance this year’s budget.

“That money is going into continuing the literacy initiative,” said Superintendent Garret Tebay, who added the Cree language program and technology needs like Smartboards were also covered by the reserve funds.

“The board is super thankful for the additional funds the province gave us,” she said. “It unfortunately still isn’t enough to meet the needs of our students because of the unique situation that our community is in.”

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In its annual report last year, the SRPSD said it had nearly 9,000 students across the 33 schools in the division, a number that’s expected to increase.

The Prince Albert Catholic School Division (PACSD) is also facing budget shortfalls, anticipating a total deficit of over $200,000 for this school year, meaning they also will be relying on reserve funds.

The additional funding did not satisfy the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation who not only said the money was not enough but accused the government of picking favourites with the funding. They noted that divisions in larger communities received more funds than small towns and villages. Some places in northern Saskatchewan weren’t eligible for the province’s top-up funding for enrolment growth.

One other item the SRPSD Board discussed was the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. Tebay said the Board received a report from Director of Education Robert Bratvold, and Superintendent Jennifer Hingely detailing how the division is doing so far with its Calls to Action.

“We do look at Calls to Action and child welfare, provincial professional development and training for public service and sports and recreation to ensure that the work that we’re doing is supporting those Calls to Action,” she said.

Among the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action the division is undertaking is developing a curriculum to explore Indigenous history in Canada and the legacy of residential schools and Treaties.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow