Prairie Rose depletes reserves to cover deficit

By Anna Smith Southern Alberta Newspapers on May 28, 2022.

In an additional board meeting this month, Prairie Rose Public Schools reviewed its 2022-2025 three-year education plan and the 2022-2023 preliminary budget.

The meeting opened with a presentation from Eagle Butte High school, presented by Eagle Butte High School principal Boyd Craven and vice-principals Cathy Hynes and Rocheal Howes, highlighting various academic and student-led initiatives.

FNMI co-ordinator Carol Carlson presented information on several projects underway to include First Nations, MÃ©tis and Inuit initiatives and activities in schools.

Prairie Rose has 122 self-identified FNMI students, representing approximately 2.85% of the student population, said Carlson.

Three new goals have made their way into Prairie Rose’s three-year education plan, finding its way alongside the classic Connect, Create, Communicate, Care, Contribute and Challenge.

“We focused on, after significant consultation with parents, a number of local businesses and non-profits, and of course, trustees, on how to ignite minds, kindle hearts and forge futures,” said superintendent Reagan Weeks, noting the feedback from various stakeholders which helped with the plan’s development.

The 2022-2023 budget is expected to come in at a deficit of $908,898, which will bring PRPS reserves down to 3.97%, or $2.187 million.

“The budget assumes the 2022-2023 school year will remain in-person,” said secretary-treasurer Ryan Boser. “Obviously, we’ve had some disruptions over the last years with COVID. Where we’ve had students outside the classrooms for certain periods of time, and there were instances where money was retracted, as well. So we’re hoping for a good year next year with regards to COVID-19.”

Major influences on the budget included a $79,342 administration deficit, $1,114,049 operations and maintenance deficit, plus a $266,064 transportation surplus, a $17,000 instruction surplus and a $1,429 external services surplus.

PRPS will receive an increase in Alberta Education operational funding of $595,197, but will receive 50% less of funding for the decline in student population, said Boser in the budget.

With the coming year, Alberta Education is implementing a maximum operating reserve limit for Aug. 31, 2023, in which K-12 school division operating reserves cannot exceed more than their board and system administration expense percentage allowance, which for PRPS is 4.42% of operating expenses.

Additional funding is expected for mental health and curriculum implementation, but these numbers had not been communicated with school authorities at the time the budget was created.

The shortfall of the projected budget will be covered by accumulated operating reserve funds, said Boser.

The complete budget can be found on the Prairie Rose website as part of the May 24 agenda package.