Public School division making alternate end-of-year plans

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Public School division making alternate end-of-year plans

The COVID-19 pandemic has made for a different kind of school year in the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division. With cancellations and postponements of events beginning in March and a different kind of graduation ceremony at all four high schools the division events have been different.

“As a board member I have had a lot of calls from parents about graduations and the lack of the face-to-face portions of grad celebrations. There has been a lot more contact with the public by phone this year than in years past because of what is happening and I think you really empathize with parents and students that had to do all of the work. Part of school is the social interaction with students so to lose that was unfortunate for the kids,” board chair Barry Hollick said.

Hollick explained that during the pandemic he and Bratvold have been in touch nearly every day to deal with regular issues. At the conclusion of each regular meeting the board discusses three main messages for the community. At their final meeting of the school year recognized parents, students, staff and teachers for all of their hard work during the pandemic.

“The board certainly appreciates everything that was done by all three parties,” Hollick said.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic another tradition of the division has had to be delayed. Each year the division has a recognition night in June for retirees including teachers, bus drivers, secretaries, educational assistants and all staff.

“All of those people are recognized and they are presented with a cash gift and certificates and that has basically been either postponed of cancelled this year, we don’t know what the group sizes will be in the future. It’s an event where we usually had a couple of hundred people in the past,” Hollick said.

Hollick explained that the event also recognized milestones for staff including 10 years, 20 years, 25 years and on a recent occasion 40 years of employment in the division

“So that’s really a special night so our board we really missed that contact with the people that work for us,” Hollick said.

Hollick explained that they were hoping to have a recognition event in the fall which would invite retirees back if group sizes have increased.

“If that doesn’t happen in small groups trustees they have schools that they are responsible for, every trustee on our board we each have about three schools that we reach our to and we would present certificates to the staff at those schools for the milestones, like the people who are still with us. As far as retirees go if worse comes to worse we would wait until next year and honour this year’s retirees with next year’s but we are hoping to do something in the fall,” Hollick said.

This week and early next week are traditionally graduations in the Prince Albert schools in the division including Carlton, Wesmor and PACI. Each school is doing something different and Hollick was taking part in recording for one.

“Graduations you are aware most of them are being done virtually, I am supposed to got to Carlton this afternoon (Tuesday) and tape a message to the student and I believe that is going to be streaming on Friday. I will also be announcing the winner of the Governor General’s medal which goes to the student with the highest average,” Hollick said.

Director of education Robert Bratvold noted something similar following the meeting.

“Another conversation that wasn’t formally on the agenda was the recognition of the grads, the Grade 12 graduates and also those who are transitioning, the Grade 8s making the move from elementary school to high school and the long service recognition for our staff that didn’t happen like it usually did but I think the trustees talked a fair amount about recognizing them,” Bratvold said.

Ecole Valois celebrates a different kind of graduation for the Class of 2020

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Ecole Valois celebrates a different kind of graduation for the Class of 2020

The graduating class of 2020 at Ecole Valois in Prince Albert met for one last time to celebrate their graduation on Friday, June 19. The school used their schoolyard to safely celebrate the class with friends and family.

Principal Catharine Topping explained that the rain last Friday stopped for a few minutes while they did their presentations.

“We were able to present them with their diplomas and they had some family members there and everybody was kind of spaced apart. We were able to take some pictures in front of the school with the graduates as well with their physical distance anyway but still with having that feeling of graduating and doing those things that usually go along with it,” Topping said.

According to Topping they were able to make something special even without being able to watch videos because of sight problems.

“We thought we weren’t going to be able to do anything the week before it was still all virtual presentations that we thought we were going to have to do but we were able to get together. They were able to get their diplomas in front of their families and their friends so that was nice,”

She explained that students were able to dress in a formal fashion and caps and gowns for such a special day. French teacher Paul Bergeron gave a speech to honour the graduates. The whole event turned into something special for a class unlike any other.

“They were very pleased with being able to see their colleagues, their friends one last time as well. It was kind of an abrupt end for the school year and some of them have seen each other here and there since then but it wasn’t the same because they weren’t in class together,” Topping said.

Topping thought it wrapped up the year in a special way.

“I think it was a nice way to give them a little bit of closure on it as well and to see each other one last time and take a few pictures and be able to really feel like they did accomplish this too Had we not been able to recognize it, it might just feel like the end of another school year, different obviously but not being able to have that feeling of pride that this is the end of their Grade 12 year and they worked hard to get there and we really needed to recognize that,” Topping said.

Sask. Rivers expanding Truth and Reconciliation understanding for trustees

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Sask. Rivers expanding Truth and Reconciliation understanding for trustees

After reviewing the board’s responses to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls for action following their previous meeting in June the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division board is taking the next steps.

The division has reviewed what has been done for calls to action and saw where they have succeeded. As well it be taking part in an engagement in the fall 4 Seasons of Reconciliation online development program for trustees.
At their regular meeting on Monday, June 15 the board committed to take part in the program.

“It will be a great way to expand the learning of the trustees in terms of understanding the history and legacy and what Truth and Reconciliation really is. So that will be I think a significant benefit for our trustees and administration and we will make that available to staff,” director of education Robert Bratvold said.

The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) is offering to subsidize the program for trustees.

The course will take place in the next school year and have committed to spreading the word.

“Once we have completed it we are going to be encouraging all of the school administrators to do it and then eventually our teaching staff as well. It is something that our school division is committed to. And now that things hopefully there will be a little bit of a lull now and they will be able to get online and be able to do this,” board chair Barry Hollick added.

The report showed that the division has been very active in the calls to action and outlines what the division has accomplished to support Truth and Reconciliation.

“A pretty long list of things that have been happening over the last couple of years and this year too,” Bratvold said.

As part of the December, 2019 board/director seminar the board was asked to identify a TRC call for action. According to director of education Robert Bratvold the board discussed what to make a priority for the next school year.

On the subject of child welfare they called upon all levels of government to fully implement Jordan’s Principle. Jordan’s Principle makes sure all First Nations children living in Canada can access the products, services and supports they need, when they need them. Funding can help with a wide range of health, social and educational needs. The division applied for and received Jordan’s Principal and it is ongoing.

Jordan’s Principle is named in memory of Jordan River Anderson. He was a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba.

They also called upon federal, territorial and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally appropriate parenting program for Aboriginal families. This was accomplished through support of the KidsFirst program, supporting schools accessing Catholic Family Services and working in partnership with the Prince Albert Early Years Resource Centre which was supposed to have a grand opening in March that was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In education, calls included improving education attainment levels and success rates, developing culturally appropriate curriculum, protecting the rights to Aboriginal languages, including the teaching of Aboriginal languages as credit courses. Cree 10 courses are now available at Carlton Comprehensive and Wesmor Public High School. Development of new language courses are also in the works in the division. As well a Kindergarten Cree Language Program will be offered this fall at John Diefenbaker School.

Other areas covered in the calls included language and culture, justice, professional development and training for public servants, education for reconciliation and sports and reconciliation.

Saskatchewan Rivers School Division meets face-to-face for the first time in months

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Saskatchewan Rivers School Division meets face-to-face for the first time in months

The board of the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division met for the first time face-to-face since their March meeting at their final school board meeting of this school year on Monday, June 22 at the division’s Education Centre in Prince Albert.

The board initially thought of other options before moving to the conference call format they used the past three months, including their last meeting on Monday, June 8.

“Well it is our first meeting face-to-face since the beginning of March. We were thinking of Zoom at one time but we were hearing that there was some problems with access like people could hack in a Zoom call, the government experienced that and we always do a closed portion of our meetings so we thought it was better to stay on conference calls. ,” board chair Barry Hollick said.

“ I know that it is tough to capture that social connection on conference call, it can be done but it is different,” director of education Robert Bratvold added.

Hollick explained that the board chairs from across the province and Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) executive began the COVID-19 pandemic meeting three times a week by conference call and continue to meet once a week with the final meeting being Thursday.

“There were up to 50 people on those calls so for our board meetings we would have 14 or 15 on a conference call. It wasn’t bad there could be some bumps along the road but we managed,” Holick said,

“It worked out well, so we conducted business that way for March until this last board meeting,” he added.

Bratvold thought it represented a bit on certainty in an uncertain world.

“I think it is also a sign and a response to the Re-Open Saskatchewan that permits those kinds of gatherings. I think it is good to model that calmness and ability to return to some sense of normal and still adhere to those guidelines and recommendations,” Bratvold said.

The meeting included all nine trustees along with administration and took place in the office’s Seminar Room, which has more space than the regular board room.

“There was only one person missing last night — one of the superintendents — otherwise that room easily accommodated everybody quite well,” Hollick said.

The meeting was set up with physical distancing while the building itself remains closed to the public. Trustee Michelle Vickers took the precaution of wearing a mask but every person was conscious.

“We didn’t use the boardroom because we wouldn’t have been able to spread out,” he said.

They plan to return to this format once the new school year starts according to Hollick.

”I would think from now on we will meet face-to-face unless there is a flare up. I think people were quite comfortable. I talked to quite a few trustees and administrators after the meeting last night and everybody seemed to be comfortable with the situation that we have in that room,” he said.

One eventuality they must look at before returning in the fall is how to deal with delegations.

“It worked well and if we had a delegation it would be a concern how you would seat the delegation,” he said.

The impact of the pandemic was apparent to Hollick.

“The whole thing was kind of unimaginable, who ever thought that this was going to happen, you know, and as quickly as it did and the impact it has had on our students and our teachers and families who sit with their children and basically become teachers on the spot and then helping them out so it has been a long process,” Hollick said.

Hollick explained that the division was pleased to hear the announcement of schools returning to in-class learning from Minister of Education Gord Wyant in the fall and the division is following the guidance of the Ministry of Health.

“So if they are to tell us that we have to take certain precautions by the time they open school in the fall we will have to make sure that those are in place,” Hollick said.

Both Bratvold and Hollick thought it was an overall success.

“It was a good meeting and it was good to see everybody once again and if we have another meeting this fall it will be face-to-face,” Hollick said.

“It is nice to have that space and people were appropriately cautious and it was neither here nor there when you were gathering in conversation groups and make sure you have that space to protect you. It worked very well, the sound was more difficult, you were in a larger room so you had to make sure the people are projecting when they are asking questions or making comments but I think it worked very well,” Bratvold said.

Saskatchewan Rivers taking time to adapt with plan to return in September

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Saskatchewan Rivers taking time to adapt with plan to return in September

The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division is preparing to return to school in September after Deputy Premier and Minister of Education Gord Wyant outlined the plan for returning during the COVID-19 press conference on Thursday, June 18.

According to director of education Robert Bratvold the division did not want to get too far ahead of the planning.

“I’m really pleased that the framework is out. We have been waiting and there is lots of moving pieces and complications so it is great to have the framework. I think the framework provides good clarity for school divisions. There is enough sort of directness to it but there is also enough that we can make adjustments to how we are going to do things quickly. I am thankful I have some relief that the school year start is as close as can be to a normal startup as you might expect,” Bratvold said.

“There is lots of details to put in there,” he added.

The division released a letter to families on June 18 from Bratvold and board chair Barry Hollick. The letter outlined that the framework will provide the direction for us to create our local plans for returning to school in a way that protects the health of students, staff and families while also providing excellence in education.

They will be creating the SRPSD plan in the coming weeks.

The letter went on to state that some of the essential elements of the plan will be known by June 30 but decisions about other details will be made in August closer to the start of the school year when more information about the context and circumstances is clear. It would be comforting to provide all the details now, but unfortunately there are still some details that remain unknown.

“So once the framework came out we started to get our planning underway, we had another planning session today. We expect to have our outline ready and into schools at the end of this week. And then there is lots of details that we will fill in August when we are closer to the circumstances,” he said on Monday following the division’s final regular meeting of the school year.

The guidelines include standards for cleaning and sanitation as well as procedures such as staggering entrances and limiting group activities. Physical distancing will be encouraged as much as possible. Continuous mask- wearing is not part of the recommendations.

Teachers and parents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the guidelines, which are posted online as part of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.

The use of physical barriers, such as Plexiglass, is also allowed if physical distancing is not possible.

Bratvold explained that they are building their plan right now. They are using what they learned during the shutdown to move planning forward.

“And really there is two parts to this one is this is the entry school re-opening plan that is what this is going to look like, then we are also going to have a contingency plan. If something goes differently or if the context is different we will know how to respond with lots of good experience and good feedback from parents around the supplemental learning so we can use lots of those lessons to inform our contingency plan,” he said.

The letter also outlines plans to communicate and use their experiences during the shutdown as a guide.

“We are going to reach out to parents, though the time compression is tough, we are going to reach out to parents to get some of their feedback about things they felt went well during the supplemental learning and things that might have gone better,”

-With Files from Peter Lozinski, Prince Albert Daily Herald


RM of Prince Albert adds mail-in-ballot option for upcoming election

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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RM of Prince Albert adds mail-in-ballot option for upcoming election

The RM of Prince Albert is aiming to open up democracy for the upcoming municipal election. At their regular meeting on Thursday, June 11 the council moved to create a mail in-ballot for the election scheduled for October.

Reeve Eric Schmalz explained that the ballot was set up for property owners who no no longer live in the Municipality or will be away for Election Day can have an option to vote. The ballots will be obtained through contacting the RM office.

“This will be the first election. That was one of the things I wanted brought in after I was elected because there were a significant number of people who approached me and said they can’t be there for the election but would like to still vote and there was only two options, one was the advanced poll and one was the general election day,” Schmalz said.

The move was done to expand options for participating in the democratic process.

“People would be able to vote remotely or outside of the normal scheduled,”

Mail in ballots will be available seven days after nominations are closed, that date is to be determined, and must be requested 14 days prior to election day. Completed ballots must be delivered before the close of polls on Election Day.

“After the nominations end you can request, it might be five or six days before the ballots are printed but what we are trying to do is have them ready to go so that any individual can request them and all you have to do is fill in the names and put them in right away. (The goal was to) have the form and standardize and have them ready to go,” Schmalz said.

During the report by Planning officer Jason Kaptein the council also worked to expand options with rural addresses. Like other areas construction starts are down in the RM due to the pandemic,

“We are not seeing the activity that we once were in the Planning Department but we are working on other things like rural addressing and things like that. Those are projects that we are going to be taking on so that we can have people in the RM can get better access to resources like policing and things like that where police can find them and for fire departments or anybody even looking at the possibility of having courier delivery to a rural area, that would be an option once you have a physical address,” he explained.

The council also put in place a speed reduction on Bibby Road and increased the voluntary payment for repeat speeding offences during the bylaw portion of the meeting

Division 5 Councillor Wayne Acorn, who was expelled from council’s February meeting was given an opportunity to address the Reeve and council again but did not attend.

Another successful year for Prince Albert in Toonies for Tuition fundraiser

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Another successful year for Prince Albert in Toonies for Tuition fundraiser

The Prince Albert Catholic School Division takes part each year in the Toonies for Tuition campaign. At the board’s regular meeting on Monday, June 15 they were provided with an update on the fundraiser.

The initiative was spearheaded in Canada by the board’s vice chair Albert Provost and began in 2011.

“He was one of the initial champions of Toonies for Tuition,” director of education Lorel Trumier said.

“We take publicly funded Catholic education very serious and we know that some provinces do not have the ability to do that so for that reason, Catholic education is that important that we feel that if there is anything we can do to support other families in other provinces that we do it.”

Annually the board approves the fundraiser. Many families in Canada need to pay tuition to attend Catholic schools. The CCSTA through the Toonies for Tuition Endowment Fund alleviates the burden on these families who live in provinces where Catholic education has limited or no public funding.

Every Catholic school division fundraised for the initiative in 2020 and in the past have helped bring the Catholic education experience to students who may not have this opportunity.

The President of the Saskatchewan Catholic School Board Association Delmar Wagner contacted the division after the Annual General Meeting of the organization to advise the Prince Albert Catholic has fundraised the highest dollar amount per student in Saskatchewan.

“We are not asking for a large donation from our families or our schools we are asking for a Toonie per student and we try to find creative ways to at least raise awareness and maybe one project in a school or several smaller projects, you might have a little popcorn sale for three weeks in a row and say we are trying to raise money for Toonie for Tuition,” she explained.

Each year a trophy is presented for the highest provincial and highest school board/division winner.

In Prince Albert the total funds raised were $2,250 with Ecole St. Anne raising the highest dollar amount with $1,200.

This year’s provincial winner was Saskatchewan and the winner of the school board/division trophy was Kenora Catholic Division in Ontario. Prince Albert Catholic previously won the trophy from 2011 to 2017. The province of Saskatchewan also won the provincial trophy from 2011 to 2017.

“Prince Albert Catholic Schools do a very good job to get that toonie per student so we have a very high ratio of Toonies per capita,” Trumier said.

Provincial plan for September in line with Catholic Division planning

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Provincial plan for September in line with Catholic Division planning

The Prince Albert Catholic School Division is excited to return to school in September after Deputy Premier and Minister of Education Gord Wyant outlined the plan for returning during the COVID-19 press conference on Thursday, June 18.

The division has been planning for the return to school from introducing a new learning platform to purchasing technology.

“Our primary response will be that we are going to be able to have our children working with us in our schools. And so for that reason I think it is going to make a lot of teachers, a lot of families and students happy that they are actually going to be working in classrooms in the fall and we can’t lose sight of that,” director of education Lorel Trumier said.

“I am excited about the fact that we are going to have our children back in school. Their safety and well-being will be a priority. I am anticipating some absences because of illness but we always have those kinds of absences,” she said,

Trumier explained that the division is in line with the Ministry of Education and wants the same thing.

“We want our children and our staff to be safe and that their well-being is the priority,” she said.

“I can assure you the ministry values the education of every child in this province,” Wyant said Thursday.

“Their safety and wellbeing, as well as the safety of educators, is paramount as they prepare to return this fall.”

The guidelines include standards for cleaning and sanitation as well as procedures such as staggering entrances and limiting group activities. Physical distancing will be encouraged as much as possible. Continuous mask- wearing is not part of the recommendations.

The use of physical barriers, such as Plexiglass, is also allowed if physical distancing is not possible.

“We are getting our facilities ready to have some opportunities for sanitizing hands, washing hands and sneeze guards and those kinds of things. We are also from an educational perspective preparing ourselves for what could be an eventuality. Let’s hope that we can have our students in that is our hope but we need to be reasonable and be ready to support our children. We want to teach them well,” Trumier said.

The Catholic Division has added the purchase of Plexiglass barriers to their amended their three year Preventative Maintenance and Renewal (PMR) plan and budget.

Teachers and parents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the guidelines, which are posted online as part of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.

According to Trumier, they are already in the process of getting schools and facilities ready for what is needed to support students and staff when they return. The division is also planning contingencies around education including introducing their new learning platform in August.

“We know that there may be times throughout the year where children may not be able to be at school and if they are sick or unwell or their family is isolating we need to be able to bridge what is happening in our classrooms to their homes and that is where our Edsby platform is going to support the communication to families and to children what is happening,” she said.

She explained the Edsby platform will be able to communicate what is happening at the school level so students who do have to be absent don’t get behind. Edsby Communicates to all three levels of the education process; teachers and student/parent.

“That communication system will be key,” she said.

She gave an example of if there is a certain grade the lesson can be communicated and students can ask for help before or when they return.

“If you need some help when you get back to school we will be able to help you but at least you will have been able to maintain engagement with the school, they will be maintaining communication with their teacher, they will find out the goings on in the classroom not only from a curricular perspective but even if we have opportunities of extracurricular activities or special events,” Trumier said.

The Edsby is one platform for all users across the school division. It still allows access to all students with Microsoft 365 Office apps will be available to all students for free download on personal devices while enrolled in the division.

“There is so many opportunities that I think Edsby provides us a great window of communication to families and students because we know that these families and students are not coming because they don’t want to be there but they don’t want to be left out,” she said.

Ahead of schools opening, the division is also sending out a chance next week for families to rent devices. The division put out a request for pricing on laptops or notebooks and tablets in order to be prepared for whatever may come in June.

“Or we are looking at different opportunities right now if perhaps families want to purchase some. It doesn’t mean they have to but it is an option. What really excites me about our Edsby platform is if a parent has a cell phone it is mobile-friendly. You don’t need another device per se,” Trumier said.

“We are going to work with our staff, they have already done a fantastic job it was very difficult they had to learn quickly how to educate in this kind of fashion.”

She explained that they are planning ahead even to the level of lesson planning and working to the level of curriculum.

“Then we are not in a position that after 14 days of isolation that a child is coming back without any contact,” Trumier said.

-With Files from Peter Lozinski, Prince Albert Daily Herald

Catholic School Division looking to have board engage on Truth and Reconciliation

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Catholic School Division looking to have board engage on Truth and Reconciliation

The board of education for the Prince Albert Catholic School Division is trying to expand their knowledge when it comes to Truth and Reconciliation. At their regular meeting on Monday, June 15 board chair Suzanne Stubbs began the process of seeking feedback for engagement in a fall 4 Seasons of Reconciliation online development program for trustees.

“We are going to get some more information about that our board has always been very supportive, as you know some of our board members are Métis and also understand the impact of residential schools in our community and with our families. We want to better understand the way to support our children and our families so I think it is exciting to respond to the call and the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action,” director of education Lorel Trumier said.

The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) is offering to subsidize the program for trustees.

Schools participating in food program

Four of the elementary schools in the division have been participating in the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) lunch program. The schools participating include St. Catherine School, St. John School and St. Michael School with lunches available over the lunch hour.

“Up to date there were about 365 lunches distributed from three schools. All of the schools have students that would need to access the lunches so up to date there is 365, I think the first few days of course it is slow until the word gets out and now we are in full swing. It will be hard to actually stop that during the summer here again knowing that is where things are happening but we are making plans to see what we will need to do for food distribution in the fall always with our children nutrition program we are always looking to make sure that our children have food,” Trumier said.

The 365 lunches were handed out between June 1 and June 9.

The board also received an update on Child Nutrition Program funding grant money for the upcoming school year.

“The Child Nutrition Funding is a wrap up. We receive dollars each year and at the end of the year we have a report to provide, basically it is money that we spent and whether the grant is used. It is just that opportunity to use the alternate funding sources,” Trumier said.

The grant allocation for 2020-2021 with be $82,957 (subject to the government appropriation vote) and is expected to be received in September from the Ministry of Education.

Election prep underway

At the meeting the school board also continued preparation for the November election. Nomination day will be October 7 and the administration has prepared an election package for trustee nominees. The board reviewed the initial package and will be presented a final package once completed.

“What we have done is created an election package for any member of the public that are looking to run for a trustee position and we know that if we provide some information to them then they are better informed for the decision that they are about to make. And sometimes it is really helpful to them to see what is the life of a Catholic trustee, what is required of them as a trustee in our community,” Trumier said.

The package included everything that possible future trustees would need to know ahead of deciding to be a candidate.

Vice principal hired

As well during the meeting the board learned of the hiring of Jason Bourdon as vice principal at St. John Community School. All other administrative appointments across the division remain the same for the 2020-2021 school year.

Catholic School Division passes balanced budget with eye towards COVID-19

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Catholic School Division passes balanced budget with eye towards COVID-19

The Prince Albert Catholic School Division has passed a balanced budget without utilizing reserves. The board of education passed their 2020-2021 budget on Wednesday, June 17 after first going over the numbers during their final regular meeting of the school year on Monday, June 15.

“We were contemplating the use of reserves we have presented a budget that does not use reserves,” director of education Lorel Trumier said.

“We are going to be very cautious about that. Our school division does not have a large reserve where there are other school divisions that do and so we have always been of the opinion that the dollars need to be spent on our children and we need to educate them well so they are the priority. And whatever we can do to make that happen we do. We try to look at different funding sources like the Climate Action Incentive Fund to assist with the funds so whenever we can participate in that we are doing it,” she added.

According to Trumier, about 85 percent of the budget is related to staffing . They have put some money away for COVID-19 preparedness with expenditures in both the current school year and the next school year.

“We had to prioritize that and it is necessary but it is important we are not alone in this world fighting this so we are going to do our part to make sure our children are safe and we are going to do our part to make sure they are taught well in these unprecedented times,” Trumier said.

They arrive at a break-even budget without using their long-term reserves. This is typically the approach the Catholic Division takes and uses the funding for the benefit of students.

“We have budgeted some additional dollars there to ensure that we have all of the procedures and aspects in place that we might be required,” Trumier said.

Among those investments was the new Edsby portal and MySchoolSask which the board received a walk-through on during their regular meeting on Monday.

“So we have invested in that next year. Those are some of the significant elements,” Trumier said.

The division’s three-year PMR plan was approved by the Ministry of Education and the board was notified of this during their regular meeting. At their meeting in May the board approved an amended three-year (fiscal years 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024) PMR projects list.

The amendments include plexiglass for reception areas to protect workers in light of the pandemic at the Catholic Education Centre, Holy Cross, St Catherine, St. Francis, St. John, St. Mary, St. Michael and St. Anne. Other projects included sanding and refinishing the floor, replacing tiles and replacing stair treads at St. Mary. There are also other projects at St. Francis, St. Anne and Holy Cross in the amended list.

“I think the biggest piece would be elements that we weren’t anticipating spending money on that now we will. Sneeze guards and those kinds of things in particular areas of our schools just as a support,” she said.

The most expensive project is the replacement of roofing on the second level at St. Francis which is estimated at $242,643. The board approved the hiring of Prakash Consulting of Prince Albert for tender on that project during Monday’s regular meeting. The division is also taking part in the Climate Action Incentive Fund which is available to the division. The fund is the result of an agreement between federal and provincial government to allocate just over $12 million to school divisions. The Catholic Division’s share is $269,378 and it is to be used for specific types of projects that have a result in reducing their energy footprint. Examples include things such as the installation of LED lighting or replacement of HVAC units, replacement of windows and doors, roofing and exterior refinishing.

These projects must be completed by March 31, 2021. Administration is identifying projects and will advise board once identified and make submissions.

Administration in the division chose to participate in the fund and are partnering with the Ministry and 21 other school divisions in an LED lighting Retrofit Request for Proposal and a supply Request for Proposal. Both have been posted on SaskTenders as of June 1 with a closing date of Tuesday, June 23.

“It only makes good sense because we get a return from that. Not only do we improve things from our climate perspective we also gain financial return on it because our costs are also lowered with the use of LED lighting. So over time we do gain and if we can use efficiency elements like LED lighting it only helps to educate our children. Those dollars aren’t spent on turning lights on. They are spent on putting teachers and staff in place,” Trumier said.

Looking at the budget numbers provided by Chief Financial Officer Greg McEwan, the Catholic Division is budgeting just over $32.7 million in revenue, with the vast majority of revenue coming from the Ministry of Education’s annual grant. They have also set aside $800,000 for PMR spending which includes some of the COVID-19 preparations.

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