The Prince Albert Catholic School Division developed and approved a new investment policy at their regular board meeting on Nov. 24 that they say will help keep the division on prudent financial footing.
The board directed administration to begin developing the police at their Nov. 3 meeting. It was officially created at the Audit Committee meeting on Nov. 5, and passed on Nov. 24.
Education Director Lorel Trumier said the policy will ensure the division invests its funds in a manner that will provide an optimal blend of returns and principle protection. She said it will also meet the division’s regular cashflow needs, while also complying with the Education Act.
“I think that what we do with our board direction and policy is always try to ensure that we understand the will of the board,” Trumier said.
“We had identified that investment management would be worth our while to explore how the board would like us to invest those dollars.
“Even though it’s short term, it sometimes can mean better dividends for us with some investment,”
As well during the meeting the board approved a revised policy around the purchasing of goods and services.
“(It) is really just, again, to get better at what we do, and we always take our note from the provincial auditors when they review other school divisions,” she said.
The board broadened terminology from referring to businesses/contractors/service people in the original document to the term suppliers was one example of a change made.
“We had done some a deep dive in those particular areas and were going, ‘well, we can improve our policy,’ so that’s really simply what that is,” Trumier explained.
Ecole St. Mary High School teacher approved for Teacher Innovation Fund project
The Prince Albert Catholic School Division was successful again in an application for the Teacher’s Innovation and Support Fund.
During their regular meeting on Nov. 24, director of education Lorel Trumier informed the board that Warren Kirilenko from Ecole St. Mary High School was successful in the November intake for a grant of $75,000. She said that the division was excited to have another teacher approved.
“We had several different innovation fund projects move forward (to the next step before approval). Eight, I believe, from schools across our school division had submitted to the ministry and we just found out that Warren Kirilenko who is one of our high school teachers doing a project on our pilgrimages and Truth and Reconciliation (was approved),” Trumier said.
His project is to create a virtual pilgrimage and sacred site experience called Walking Together in Faith and Reconciliation.
In the approval note there were hand-written congratulations from Minister of Education Everett Hindley.
“Our Minister of Education wrote a personal note on his congratulatory letter thanking him for this meaningful project I think that’s speaks volumes to the work that’s going to happen,” Trumier said.
SCC Reports highlight upcoming Christmas season
The upcoming Christmas season will be the focus when trustees from the Prince Albert Catholic School Division make their School Community Council (SCC) reports for December
Director of Education Lorel Trumier presented the report to trustees during their regular meeting on Nov. 24. Trumier said there are several items the division is working on with SCCs but Christmas and Advent were important
“Christmas is an important time of our year for sure and certainly as we approach the advent season here, it’s what we do that’s distinctively different,” she said. “It’s that time to prepare our hearts and minds for what we say is the coming of our Lord.”
In the report the board thanked the schools in advance for their work around Christmas and advent.
“We do that prayerful reflection of how we live our lives and how we would want to continue to become better, and Advent is that preparatory time for a very big birthday to celebrate Jesus’s birthday,” Trumier explained.
The report also highlighted the Elementary Christmas Concert on Dec. 10 and Ecole St. Mary Music Department Christmas Concert on Dec. 9.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
