(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

Budget Adjustments

Less provincial funding for Prince Albert Catholic School Division

Jul 12, 2021 | 3:00 PM

Not unlike other school divisions, the Prince Albert Roman Catholic Separate School Division will be receiving less operational funding from the province this year, but will be under no constraints to lay-off any staff, according to their director of education.

They’ll receive $598,000 less this year for a total budget of $29,385,000 this year.

“Our main priority that we focused on was ensuring that we had the teachers and staff in our classrooms to make sure that student needs would be met,” Lorel Trumier, told paNOW.

“The principal that we built the budget on was so that there would be no or little job loss. If there is any loss it would be through attrition or retirement.”

Trumier did not say how many teachers would not be replaced because of attrition or retirements.

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The division’s expenditure on instruction for the upcoming school year is $24,261,356.

The provincial funding change is based on an estimate for a decrease in student enrolment for next year.

“We’re anticipating the number will be less, because we don’t know what will be entering on the other end,” Trumier said. “We had the largest graduating class in our history this year. Without knowing the students that will enter, it will be difficult to assess what our enrolment will be.

“We always take a conservative approach so that we’re in a good position to have the appropriate staff and teachers in our classrooms. If there are more student enrolments, then we will make adjustments in the fall.”

Although the school division is anticipating fewer students, they are expecting a few students to return from online learning, back to the classrooms.

Due to the decrease in funding for the upcoming year, the school division has committed to using reserve money for one-time purchases including technology in the classroom.

“We prioritized student technology for computer labs,” Trumier said. “Similarly, we ensured there will be technology in the hands of students in the classroom. Mobile labs are becoming more necessary in our schools. Those two categories make up a large amount of the dollars that are going to technology next year.

“It becomes more important year after year, especially after a year of COVID we realized how dependent we are on technology to support student learning.”

The school division will introduce a new program at St. Michael Community School for early childhood that will focus on learning different cultures and languages.

Trumier added they are looking forward to a year where they can focus on programs that will focus on literacy in Grade 1 to Grade 3 classrooms.

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Dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @dawsonthompson8