The Prairie Rose School Division (PRSD) is close to unveiling its 2024-25 budget after several public sessions to gather feedback on its proposed plans.
PRSD held two public meetings to gather insights to guide their 2024-25 budget process.
There was a pre-budget consultation back in January 2024, during which school staff, Parent/Guardian Councils, and communities could share what they wanted to see in this year’s budget. This was followed by an online comment option for all. There was also a Draft Budget Consultation on March 18 at Miami School, during which PRSD walked through the draft budget with a focus on funding status, impacts on staffing, and resources.
Some of the highlights from the budget include:
– School taxes are proposed to be increased by 5.1 per cent (e.g., a $1 million farm will increase by approximately $160 per year).
– Teachers have been added to reduce class sizes with a 20 pupil/teacher ratio.
– 23.3 new Educational Assistant positions. This was added as additional evaluation from the previous year showed an increased need for this resource in the general school population.
– 1 new school bus in addition to the five used buses purchased in 2023-24.
– The province granted a $150,000 Food Nutritional Program. These funds are dedicated to this purpose.
– Increases to vice principal positions in certain schools to reduce the need of pulling teachers from the classroom for administrative support.
– 1 new financial clerk position at the division office.
– Increased funding to cover increased costs for PRSD’s life insurance, operating (hydro), and teachers’ new collective agreements. Other increases directed from the Province were for French Immersion and Indigenous Education resources, which are part of provincial strategies provided to all divisions.
It should be noted that PRSD’s student population continues to grow year over year. However, within that growth, some schools are seeing declines in student population and are struggling to maintain resources under this new budget.
Andrea Bertham-Ladouceur is the current chair of Elm Creek School’s Parent/Guardian Advisory Council. She has three children enrolled in the Elm Creek School and always seeks ways to help and support them. Bertham-Ladouceur organized the Elm Creek voice in the budget process as they advocated on behalf of Elm Creek School.
“I would say I’m mostly happy with the budget, and we are looking forward to a robust capital plan that is prioritizing Elm Creek’s new gym,” said Andrea Bertham-Ladouceur.
The PRSD has yet to specify when the full budget will be released, but it should be coming in the next week or so. In addition to the new budget, the Prairie Rose School Division Board of Trustees also recently announced the retirement of its longtime Superintendent/CEO, Terry Osiowy, effective Aug. 16, 2024.
