Skip to content

School district adopts budget

The Okanagan Skaha School District board adopted its budget Monday night with several goals trustees plan to accomplish over the next year.

The Okanagan Skaha School District board adopted its budget Monday night with several goals trustees plan to accomplish over the next year.

“The trustees agreed that working toward our structural deficit is a high priority and have committed to goal-setting sessions to continue our discussion,” said school district vice-chair Linda Van Alphen.

Trustees are looking to put students interests first by trying to keep money resources in the classroom, providing for long-term multi-year strategies, creating efficiencies and cost savings and obtaining partner group involvement.

“There were a number of points which trustees identified for future action which include reviews in regard to policy on corporate sponsorship, students travelling to provincial events, copyright laws for electronic textbooks and rental rates,” said Van Alphen.

“It also includes working towards increasing support for mass special education and collaborative time and increasing technology support through current postings on the district website.”

The school district had to deal with major budget cuts over the past two years but did not have to deal with a shortfall this year because of the continuation of $1.4 million of funding protection from the Ministry of Education.

Secretary-treasurer Ron Shongrunden previously told the Penticton Western News that this budget was a “rollover budget,” giving the board a one-year reprieve. He said the 2012-13 budget could have a structural deficit as high as $1.5 million as there is no guarantee funding protection will continue.