Schools get more cash for arts, aboriginal languages

Algoma District School Board just got a whack of new dough supporting arts education in its schools.

A new provincial program-enhancement grant in the recently announced Ontario budget projection for 2007/2008 breaks down to about $7,500 per school for music and arts programming, says Bob Backstrom, the board's superintendent of business.

This year's budget also provides a $464,888 First Nations education supplement that will bring more access to aboriginal language instruction and culture awareness to Algoma's schools, says Backstrom.

He presented budget details and answered trustee questions at last night's meeting.

Trustees and senior school adminstrators are happy with the timing of the budget and with the degree of flexibility it affords.

Backstrom said the preliminary budget comes early enough for boards to make program plans and staffing decisions before the summer.

He also said that, compared to last year's budget, it more accurately addresses Algoma District's needs.

"We got the impression they were listening this time," Board Chair Wanda McQueen said.

The budget didn't reduce special education, transportation or facility renewal funding as much as the board's enrolment declined and that came as a relief to trustees.

"While our enrolment has been declining, the number of special needs students has not," said Director of Education Mario Turco. "As a matter of fact, it may even be increasing in proportion to the number of students in the system."

Now, school officials must crunch the statistical data required by the Ministry of Education so the final budget can be prepared, said Backstrom.

Once the final budget is released over the next few weeks, the board can plan its expenditures, he said.

Backstrom added that the board could still face a deficit under this budget.

"Last year we were in a deficit and had to go into reserves to fund operations, and this year the overall funding is about the same," he said. "Although we have more time and flexibility to budget, we could still find ourselves in a deficit situation."