May 23, 2023, Board Meeting Highlights

event Published 2023-05-24 20:53:51.989 +0000 UTC

Additional details and full reports from the May 23, 2023, Board Meeting can be found in the Agenda Package.

Ralston School Presentation
Ralston School Principal Stacey Nunweiler provided the board with an overview of the school's Learning from the Land Prairie Rose Possibility project. The project focuses on connecting the school community with the Southern Alberta environment, highlighting learning opportunities in the local area to build an appreciation for where we live and creating an understanding of indigenous cultures' connection with the land and natural environment. Some of the activities students have participated in include; planting an indigenous garden, outdoor cooking and learning about food preservation, building indigenous flutes, outdoor education activities, creating landscape art and visiting local natural landmarks. This is the third year the school has implemented Learning from the Land into the learning curriculum. The full presentation can be found in the May 23, 2023, Board Meeting Agenda package.

Locally Developed Courses
The board approved locally developed courses Social Literacy 15 and Social Literacy 25. The classes, focussing on health and personal wellness, will be instructed by Alberta Health Services. A total of one credit will be awarded to students who complete either course.

FNMI Report
Student Services Coordinator Carol Carlson presented the 2022-2023 First Nations Metis Inuit (FNMI) Report for information. It was shared that 3.2% of Prairie Rose are self-identified FNMI students. Three outcomes identified as part of the PRPS Three-Year Education Plan for Truth and Reconciliation include ensuring all FNMI students are successful, acknowledging and supporting the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, and prioritizing integrating Indigenous perspectives into education. A list of PRPS FNMI learning initiatives and teaching resources was also shared as information. All links are available as part of the presentation in the May 23, 2023, Board Meeting Agenda package.

2023-2026 Three-Year Education Plan
Superintendent Reagan Weeks presented the updated 2022-2023 Education Plan for approval. It was noted that the 2023-2024 year will be the second year of the three-year plan focused on the new learning goals of ignite minds, kindle hearts, forge futures and truth and reconciliation. As such, only minor changes were made to update learning progress and evaluation. The board approved the plan as presented. The 2023-2026 Education Plan can be found on the Annual Reporting page of the Prairie Rose website www.myprps.com/annual-reporting.

2023-2024 Budget Report
Chief Financial Officer Ryan Boser presented the 2023-2024 Prairie Rose Public Schools Budget Report for approval. PRPS will receive additional Alberta Education funding of $3,256,184 next year based on new grants and grant increases compared to the 2022-2023 school year. Total revenues for the school division are expected to be $57,861,807, with expenses coming in at $58,029,188. Overall, the school division is forecasting a deficit budget for the year of $167,381. Some notable highlights of the budget include:

  • Projected enrolment decrease of 32 funded FTE students from 2022-2023
  • Alberta Education will fund teacher salary increases of 2% in 2023-24.
    • 2023-24 will include a budget assumption of a 2% wage increase for support staff (match teachers 2% for 2023-24).
  • An expected increase in division insurance premiums for the 2023-2024 year (property 5%, liability 2%, cyber 15%)
  • A 10.3% increase in ASEBP benefit premiums
  • An increase of 4.9 FTE certified staff from basic staffing allocations
  • An increase in EA hours and a continuation of additional supports and services hours (speech, behavior, therapy assistants)
  • An operating deficit in Operations and Maintenance of $1,136,661
  • A new transportation funding model resulted in the addition of an estimated four new bus routes and the purchase of new location-tracking software for the buses. 
    • A surplus in Transportation of $844,388
  • Spending under the maximum allowable for Board and System Administration of $170,603

The full budget report can be found on the Annual Reporting page of the Prairie Rose website www.myprps.com/annual-reporting.