Public schools must cut a million dollars from budget

NEWS RELEASES

ALGOMA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

************************ Budget update

Superintendent of Business Joe Santa Maria updated the board on the status of the budget process.

Over the past two months, staff has been working with various departments and with the finance and audit committee in the development of the 2010/ 2011 budget.

Superintendent Santa Maria reported that the preliminary draft shows there to be just over a $1 million shortfall.

He commented to the board that this initial position is not as severe as it has been in previous years, mainly due to the consolidation of the two high schools into one starting September 1, 2010.

Also, staff should be credited for being very diligent to minimize spending.

While the board expects to balance the budget, there is concern that special education funding does not meet the increasing needs of special education students and the ministry’s formula for top-up funding for schools under capacity are having an impact on the $1 million shortfall.

Superintendent Santa Maria is confident that as they review the budget with departments they will be able to balance the budget and present to the board at the next board meeting on June 15.

Any reduced spending will not reduce services students are accustomed to receiving.

************************ JK/ SK organization for Laird Township and Echo Bay

Superintendent of Education Asima Vezina updated the board on the Junior Kindergarten (JK)/ Senior Kindergarten (SK) organization for Laird and Echo Bay elementary schools and provided background information on the consultation process.

Unless there are concerns from trustees and based on the feedback from this consultation, senior administration is supporting the establishment of a JK/SK program in both Laird and Echo Bay public schools for September 2010.

The Ministry of Education has begun to implement its full-day learning strategy for junior and senior kindergarten beginning in the fall of 2010.

The ministry goal is to make full-day learning in JK/SK possible in every school by 2015/16.

Six schools in Sault Ste. Marie were selected to be part of the Year One implementation.

As a result, ADSB senior administration did a system review of current JK programs in the board.

While reviewing the six elementary schools in Central Algoma, administration considered the option and benefits of housing both the JK program and the SK program in one school and explored this with the two school communities of Laird and Echo Bay.

Both school communities wanted their children in their home schools. Administration then looked at housing a JK/SK combined class at each school.

Consultation was thorough.

Staff meetings were held at both schools.

School Council and public meetings took place.

Surveys were sent to parents including a phone survey with all parents of incoming JK and current JK students.

The feedback from parents and school councils was a unanimous majority of support for this option, to house a JK/ SK combined class at each school.

The decision has been made to establish a JK/SK program in both Laird and Echo Bay schools and will be effective for September 2010.

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