Trustees at the Calgary Catholic School District have approved a balanced budget for the upcoming school year.
The board says it was able to come up with the deficit-free, $615-million budget, without any cuts to the classroom.
“We are pleased that our board was able to approve a balanced budget that provides our students with the best possible education, ” said board chair Cheryl Low in a news release following the board’s meeting Wednesday night.
The board used a portion of its savings in order to implement the Alberta government’s Bill 1, which reduces school fees for parents.
“We agree with the goal and spirit of reducing the burden of fees on parents and will continue to work with the government on this initiative,” Low said.
The total budget is $615 million which, despite a $4.3-million operating deficit, was balanced after capital transactions and money from savings were taken into account.
The district is projecting $13.2 million in accumulated savings at the end of the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
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“It was a workable budget that allowed us to continue to prioritize student learning and to ensure that we are aligned with our three-year plan,” said Gary Strother, chief superintendent of the Calgary Catholic School District.”
“Administration and our board of trustees have worked hard to protect the resources and supports in our classrooms.”
The district is also projecting an enrolment increase of over 1,000 students, or 1.86 per cent in September.
The approved budget will be submitted to the education ministry by the June 30 deadline.
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