The Good Spirit School Division Board of Education recently passed its 2013/2014 budget. This year's budget includes anticipated revenues and expenditures in excess of $75 million.
"Our priority in terms of budgeting is to allocate resources to maintain current operations with a special focus on identified strategic plan priorities," states Bryan Cottenie, Board Chair. "We are headed into year two of our five-year strategic plan and it is extremely important to ensure targeted investments reflect these goals."
"Transparency plays a key role in discussions and included numerous meetings with both senior administration as well as board members before determining the finalized budget," adds Sherry Todosichuk, Superintendent of Business Administration.
"Administration has taken the board directive that the budget include a defined focus on realigning resources so that areas such as staffing, supports for learning, and health and safety are targeted to ensure dollars meet identified needs."
Highlights of the 2013/2014 budget include the following:
Continued investment in literacy with expansion of resources available beyond the primary levels;
Appointment of a First Nations Metis Achievement Coordinator to work towards addressing improved capacity to work with First Nations people as well as improving student learning outcomes;
An anticipated enrolment increase of approximately 86 students resulting in additional permanent teaching staff as well as a commitment to permanent positions in student counseling, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists to enhance student well-being and strengthen staff and student engagement;
The hiring of a Human Resource Coordinator to ensure we are achieving efficiencies and adherence in terms of operational procedures;
Targeted dollars to the Comprehensive School Community Health Pilots;
Year 1 of a 2-year intranet communications solution to work towards improving both internal and external communication channels;
Preventative Maintenance and Renewal (PMR) funding allocated by the Ministry to address facilities needs;
Continuation of our bus fleet renewal plan (purchase of 10 buses per year) as well as continuation of placement of GPS units and cameras in buses; and,
An investment in building updates to various bus garages.
"We have worked towards ensuring enhanced business processes in this budget and, as with all else, our motto of "Students Come First" was front and center numerous times when it came to making the hard decisions of how and where to allocate funds," concludes Dwayne Reeve, Director of Education.
