Growth dominates SRSD budget consult

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/11/2018 (1974 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Strategies for managing increasing school enrollments against a backdrop of provincial budget constraints dominated a budget consultation session held Tuesday at the Seine River School Division offices in Lorette.

“We don’t see it slowing down anytime soon,” said superintendent Mike Borgfjord, who noted the division’s total enrollment has increased by 30 percent since 2005.

Parents and members of the public brought questions about mill rates and transportation. Borgfjord said two-thirds of SRSD students are bused, meaning more double runs than ever before.

Belt tightening at the provincial level will make it a challenge to accommodate the increasing operating costs that come along with educating growing numbers of students, Borgfjord said.

Funding for special education continues to be a pressure point, he later said, adding the division has spent more than allotted in the past year to insulate students from provincial budgetary pressures.

In the absence of details on the pending provincial review of K-12 education, Borgfjord said budget planning for the 2019-2020 school year is proceeding as usual.

“I think for everyone it’s kind of an unknown,” he said.

Feedback from small group discussions at Tuesday’s meeting showed the division’s efforts at inclusive education continue to be appreciated by parents, though trustee Theresa Bergson noted “challenges of equity” continue across the geographically expansive division.

Other suggestions heard by the board included more playground structures for elementary schools, an RCMP liaison to counteract drug problems and safety concerns at high schools, and more vocational training for middle school students.

“We often hear about vocational opportunities,” Borgfjord later said.

Comparing this year’s feedback to that of previous years, the superintendent suggested parents were coming to terms with the province’s approach to spending, with fewer wishing for school renovations.

Ritchot mayor Chris Ewen suggested the division should communicate more with municipalities. Borgfjord acknowledged a practice of meeting annually with municipal councils has fallen by the wayside in recent years, and could be restarted.