Board Highlights November 24, 2015

Audited Financial Statements 2014-2015
Grant Thornton LLP presented the Audited Financial Statements.  In their opinion the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools (WRPS) as at August 31, 2015. The Board of Trustees passed a motion approving the 2014-2015 Audited Financial Statements as presented.

• WRPS’ 2014-2015 annual operating deficit was $2,270,254
• Decrease in Alberta Education allocated revenues of $750,531 compared to 2013-2014.
• Increase in expenses over the 2013-2014 school year of $449,311.
• Overall costs to educate 3,803.5 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) students was $55,543,567 with 76.84% of expenses incurred in Instruction and educational related programming, 14.12% in Plant Operations and Maintenance, 4.65% in Transportation, 4.20% in Administration and 0.18% in External Services

Board Reserves 2015-2016
The 2014-2015 Operating Reserves totaling $2,865,941. Board operating reserves decreased by $1,933,757 and include $623,737 of school generated funds that are not available for board operations.

Revised 2015-2016 Budget
The 2015-2016 Fall Revised Budget was presented.  The Board’s 2015-2016 Approved Budget was submitted to Alberta Education in June 2015, and has been revised to include revenues generated by actual September 30, 2015 enrolments and actual staffing FTE in place as at October 2015.

Highlights include:

• Enrolment decreased by 66.5 FTE to 3,737 FTE
• Staffing decreased by 6.2% however staffing costs make up 88.29% of the instructional budget and 77.25% of the Divisions overall budget.
• Board & System Administration costs increased by 4.47% but are $298,094 under the allowable expenditure limit as defined by Alberta Education.
• Plant Operations & Maintenance is projecting a deficit of $549,040. Since 2012/2013 operational funding has decreased by 21.3% due to funding formula adjustments, while operating costs such as insurance increased 72.7% and utilities have increased 21.5%.
• During 2015/2016 operating reserves are anticipated to be spent down by $1,433,724 or 63.95%.

Three Year Strategic Education Plan and Annual Results Report
The Board approved the Division’s 2014-15 Annual Education Results Report and the 2015-2018 Three Year Education Plan.  These reports are posted on our website:  3 Year Strategic Education Plan 2015-2018 & Annual Results Report 2014-2015.  Highlights of the 3-Year Plan and Results Report include:

• WRPS priorities are a focus in all schools and the overall results in the report demonstrate progress on the priorities.  
• Based on the Provincial Achievement Test and Diploma Exam programs, Language Arts and Math results need to improve - noting ELA results are stronger than Math results, and Diploma exam results are stronger than provincial achievement test results.  
• We still need to provide a greater impact on our students who are First Nations, Metis and Inuit; however we are seeing improvement in high school completion rates and less truancy with FNMI students.
• In 2015-2016 there will be work with schools to ensure the identification of school measures, including the identification of school targets within the school year, to demonstrate the responsiveness and effectiveness of school approaches, including literacy and numeracy strategies.
  
  

View: Board Highlights November 24, 2015