ST. PAUL – St. Paul Education completed its financial audit for the 2021-22 school year, indicating a larger than expected deficit.
During the Dec. 14 board of trustees meeting, Jean Champagne, secretary-treasurer, said the school division will need to focus on balancing its next budget for the upcoming school year as the division’s reserves have been reduced to the minimum level.
According to St. Paul Education’s financial statement, its overall budgeted expenses for the fiscal year were $56.2 million. Meanwhile, the actual expenses were $59.5 million, compared to $57.8 million in actual expenses the previous year.
Champagne reported that St. Paul Education budgeted a deficit of $1.1 million, and ended the year with an actual deficit of $1.6 million.
“While the difference is less than one per cent of our budget, it is nevertheless significant,” said Champagne.
He explained the deficit is due “to lower than projected enrolment, additional staffing costs, COVID related expenses, increased insurance, bus fuel increases, repairs and general inflation.”
“The projection for the current year [2022-23] is for a deficit of $996,398, following which division reserves will be reduced to minimum levels,” said Champagne. This means, “the 2023-24 budget will need to be balanced.”
St. Paul Education’s fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2022.
ATA roundtable session set
A local Alberta Teacher’s Association (ATA) roundtable session will be hosted at Glen Avon School for staff, parents, and community stakeholders on Jan. 18, 2023 at 5:30 p.m., to discuss the future of education in the province.
The local roundtable session is part of the Provincial ATA's work to gather feedback on the future of education in Alberta, according to information from St. Paul Education.
The ATA will be hosting roundtable sessions across the province as part of its “Stand for Education” campaign, with the aim to engage with the public on generating “aspirational new ideas, approaches, and solutions for the future of public education in this province.”
Alberta Rural Education Symposium
St. Paul Education trustees will also attend the Alberta Rural Education Symposium (ARES) in March of 2023. The symposium will include speakers talking about the traditional “3 Rs” of education, which according to ARES was rewritten to “Resilience, Reconciliation and Rejoicing.”
According to information from ARES, the symposium will cover the importance of focusing “on well-being and resilience,” reconciliation with First Nations, and “celebrate what’s right about rural education.”
The symposium will also be attended by Minister Adriana LaGrange and other ministers to provide updates and answers in relation to education in the province.
