After a year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans have been finalized for the trustees of the Prince Albert Catholic School Division to meet with local MLAs Joe Hargrave, Alana Ross and Nadine Wilson.
Planning began in the board’s meeting on Aug. 23. The terms were finalized during the board’s regular meeting on Monday.
“COVID certainly slowed our ability and, quite frankly, we were very busy with other matters. Meeting with the Ministry of Education and other organizations and other elements as COVID has certainly distracted and dominated,” director of education Lorel Trumier said.
“We want to be able to resume some of those check ins with the MLAs and the minister. Our board has always been very active to advocate for our families in our community so we don’t hesitate to have those discussions,” she added.
During the meeting on Aug. 23, board chair Suzanne Stubbs noted how these meetings were long overdue. The board of education were asked for feedback to decide a date during Monday’s meeting. The options were between Oct. 18 and 19. After discussion, it was decided that they would meet with the local MLAs on Oct. 19.
At the meeting, the topic of discussion is generally the successes and challenges of the division.
Trumier explained that because of the short time between the two meetings, the agenda, was relatively thin.
Despite public health challenges faced by all school divisions, Trumier said PA Cahtolic has had a successful start to the year. She added that they’re pleased with the number of students who returned to school after a difficult previous year.
“We are so pleased that our enrolment is exactly where we projected. It’s early, because September 30 is the day where we take a look at what the actual enrolment will be for the year, but we are very pleased,” Trumier said.
She added that feedback on the start of school has been positive.
“They (families) are so happy to be back,” she said. “They are so happy with the work that is being done in our school division. We are grateful for that and glad to see the kids back.”
