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Kemptville, On
– Trustees with the
Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO)
have
approved a balanced budget of $132.6 million
for the 2006 - 2007 school year
at the Board Meeting held Monday August 28, 2006.
CDSBEO Superintendent of Business Gordon Greffe
and
CDSBEO Manager of Finance Bonnie Norton
presented the budget.
Continuous Process
The balanced budget was produced after an extensive
deliberation process that began in February 2006 by all
departments and staff within the CDSBEO.
Mr. Greffe
told the Board and Superintendents that
administration examined 2005-2006 school year budgets as the
year progressed and recommended efficiencies and cuts for
2006-2007, which resulted in a balanced budget being tabled
for 2006-2007.
Mr. Greffe
explained that the realignment of the provincial funding model
created a number of significant challenges. The realignment
occurred after school boards across the province reported a
number of discrepancies and inadequacies in the funding
model. While the new funding model is helpful in some
respects, the realignment means a number of shortcomings for
other departments that had to be overcome before the balanced
budget was presented.
Constant Battle
CDSBEO Board Chair Ronald Eamer
was pleased with the work done by Administration.
However
Mr. Eamer also renewed his call for increased
funding to the Board.
“We always seem to receive about 2%, or 2 million dollars less
than we need,” stated
Mr. Eamer.
“Because of that, we are unable to offer our students all the
services they deserve.”
CDSBEO Director of Education Ann Perron
echoed those sentiments. “We are extremely proud of the work
being done by our schools and departments with the amount of
funding allocated by the province. It would be wonderful if
the formula allowed our staff and programs to flourish beyond
current limitations.”
“We have always been proud of the programs that we offer
through the Learning Opportunities Grant. This grant has been
reduced significantly overnight. Consequently, we have had to
make program adjustments.”
Waiting Game
Continues For Capital Projects
CDSBEO Manager of Finance Bonnie Norton
also noted the budget does not include the cost of a number of
capital projects submitted to the Ministry in January 2006 to
increase the number of permanent pupil places in facilities
across the Board. The Board submitted a request for 14
projects with a total estimated value of $84.3 million
dollars.
All of the projects submitted in January 2006 are unfunded and
the Board will be unable to proceed with these projects unless
the Ministry provides the necessary funding.
Class Sizes On
Track
Mr. Greffe
told the Board the budget shows that the CDSBEO is meeting its
objectives as far as the provincially mandated class size
limits are concerned.
“For 2006-2007, over 63% of the Board’s primary
classes will have 20 or fewer students and 90% of classes will
have less than 23 students. This is a significant improvement
towards our objective,” stated
Mr. Greffe.
The CDSBEO has added 22 teachers since the primary class size
initiative was introduced in 2004-2005.
Communication A
Key
CDSBEO Superintendent of Business Gordon Greffe
said the Board will continue to work with the Ministry and the
Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association to help further
develop and realign the current funding formula to meet the
needs of the CDSBEO and school boards across the province.
Mr. Greffe
added, “We will have to continue monitoring the current
balanced budget, by reviewing expenses for 2006-2007, from now
until the end of the 2006 when we submit our revised budget.”
For more
information and interview opportunities, please contact CDSBEO
Communications Officer Bob Perreault at (613) 258-7757 or
(613) 859-0678 (mobile).
The Catholic District School Board
of Eastern Ontario operates 40 elementary and 10 secondary
schools across 8 counties. The CDSBEO offers excellence in
Catholic education through provincial-leading programs to
approximately 15,000 students. |
