Holy Trinity Catholic School Division has passed its 2022-23 budget, which will see increased revenues of over $222,000, increased expenses of over $280,000 and slightly fewer staff.
Trustees unanimously passed the budget during their recent June meeting.
The division has projected revenues to be $26.7 million and expenses to be $26.3 million. This represents an increase of $222,291 — or 0.8 per cent — and $280,775 — or 1.1 per cent — respectively, compared to this year.
Total capital project expenses will total $9.6 million, including $9.2 million for the joint-use school project and money to upgrade to École St. Margaret School.
Total upgrade costs for that school are expected to be $5.5 million, including inflation.
The division expects to have a balanced budget next year.
During the 2021-22 school year, Holy Trinity had 243.62 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees working in the division. Next year, that number will drop to 241.57 FTE, with one fewer FTE position in administration and 2.35 fewer FTE positions for school-based instruction.
Revenues
Property tax revenues are expected to be $4.1 million next year, or 2.7-per-cent higher than this year, reflecting the revised 2022 education property tax mill rates that the provincial government set, explained CFO Curt Van Parys.
Total grants are expected to be $21.4 million, based on a projected enrolment of 2,252 students, which is a 0.9-per-cent decline compared to September 2021, he continued. The province will adjust that funding in December to reflect the actual enrolment number.
Included in that grant funding is $96,594 for targeted educational assistant support and an extra $265,685 to support the Moose Jaw Early Years Family Resource Centre.
Expenses
One expense item Van Parys highlighted was the instruction category, which will see the division spend $19.1 million next year on instruction — or paying teachers. There will be $53,291 less spent next year on instruction, a decrease of 0.3 per cent.
However, he pointed out that of every $4 the division spends, $3 goes toward instruction and the classroom.
The division will spend a total of $20.8 million on salaries and benefits, representing 78.9 per cent of the operating budget.
Board priorities
Board trustees want the division to focus on learning, human resources and technology next year, so administration has provided resources to meet those goals, said Van Parys.
Learning
With learning, trustees want to optimize student success by improving the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom.
This includes improving literacy and numeracy, supporting mental health and well-being of students and staff, maintaining counsellor time, enhancing literacy intervention and math intervention supports, supporting the YMCA Early Learning Centres, and supporting professional learning.
Human resources
With human resources, the board wants compliance with collective bargaining agreements and employment contracts, suitable pupil-teacher ratios (PTR), and continued safety training in various programs.
The provincial collective bargaining agreement with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation expires August 2023, the LINC agreement expires this July, the CBA with CUPE Local 5506 expires August 2024, and the agreement with Swift Current and Shaunavon staff expires August 2024.
Meanwhile, the board wants PTRs of 22:1 for grades 1 to 3, 26:1 for grades 4 to 6 and 27:1 for grades 7 to 8.
Technology
With technology, the board wants continued support for certain software programs, continued support for Grade 9 Chromebook purchases for Vanier Collegiate, installation of interactive touch TVs in kindergarten to Grade 3 classrooms, and server infrastructure upgrades.
“And very importantly … our budgets have been restructured to financially support our technology on a multi-year basis, so we’re very pleased that we are almost there in terms of securing long-term support for technology within our school division,” said Van Parys.
Budget risks
Some issues that could affect the budget next year include further waves of COVID-19, enrolment increases or decreases depending upon the school, staffing pressures, increased use of substitute staff to cover ill teachers, the LINC agreement, inflation, natural gas prices, and software prices.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is in September.
