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Board Meeting Highlights April 28, 2015

Christian Alternative Program

The Wetaskiwin and District Christian Education Society have been consulting with the Board of Trustees regarding the possibility of offering a Christian Alternative Program in one of the City of Wetaskiwin schools.  The Board received the information and heard a presentation from a representative from the Prairie Center for Christian Education. The Board requested further information on enrollment, transportation, staffing implications and subsidy costs to parents.  This item will be discussed further at the May 12, 2015 Board meeting.

2015-2016 Budget Balancing Strategies
In 2014-2015 the Board’s operating deficit is projected to be 2.6 million. As a result of the funding cuts announced in the Provincial Budget on March 26, 2015 Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools is projecting a 3.87 million dollar budget deficit for 2015-2016 school year.  Our 2015-2016 budget problem has become more devastating when we were informed that we are unable to access our reserves without the expressed approval of the Minister. The Minister has directed that school boards must submit balanced budgets and therefore Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools must cut $3.87 million dollars from the budget.  The Board directed administration to draft the budget based on the following strategies.

Balancing Strategies include the following:

  • Terminate all Teaching Assistant FTE not supported by a Special Education or PUF funding allocation. Currently 15.64 FTE additional (9 as a result of Sp Ed Funding reduction), savings $634,984
  • Reduce 5 FTE LST positions, savings $534,000
  • Allocate funding for Services, Contracts and Fees based on a per pupil allocation, savings range from $196,692 to $756,792
  • Do not allocate CTS funding, savings $108,500
  • Reduce French Immersion subsidy to a maximum of $200,000, savings of $71,165
  • Reduce Counselling by 0.45FTE, savings $36,000
  • Reduce Central FNMI expenditures, savings $120,000
  • Pool all surplus/deficit carry-forward balances in order to address funding constraints, forecasted 2014-15 surplus carry-forward $1,086,467
  • Seek Ministerial approval to use operating reserves to transition to a balanced budget.

View: WRPS Media Release April 28, 2015
         Letter to Parents April 28, 2015

View:  Board Highlights April 28, 2015

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