School division reports to Council

The Good Spirit School Division attended the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday to give the City an update on the division.

Director of Education Dwayne Reeve began by pointing to the Division's $50 million payroll.

While noting they do not have verified numbers, about one-third of the payroll would be paid to Yorkton residents, said Reeve, adding that is a significant economic impact locally.

In general terms Reeve said "the theme around the area is one of growth," adding the Division is now having to adapt to that growth after a period of decline.

"Across the city all of our enrollments are increasing," he said, noting in total they have climbed by about 800 in the city in the last three years.

On a broader scale, Reeve said the Division is seeing an in-migration, with 250 students over the last three years "coming to our school division from outside the province." Eighty of those are from outside Canada.

Reeve said the school division is expecting the growth trend to continue.

"We believe the good times will continue to be seen," he said.

In the atmosphere of growth GSSD is now in its sixth season, said Reeve, adding they plan to take a fresh look at where the division is going. There is a plan for a series of meetings to help develop a renewed vision, a process they hope is complete by the end of the current school year.

The result would be a plan "to set the course for the next five years."