Budget planning
School District 47 secretary-treasurer Steve Hopkins presented the preliminary expenditure plan for 2016/17 to SD47 trustees. The final plan must be adopted by the board and submitted to the BC Ministry of Education by June 30.
According to Hopkins, the consolidated spending summary of approximately 21 percent of the budget is consistent with other years.
Despite a projected funding gap of about $4,000 less than 2015/16, Hopkins said he thinks SD47 will be on budget.
“The gap was funding things that were not tied to staff and direct services,” he said. “Come fall, after this year ends and we recalculate I expect there will probably be something similar to the budget next year.”
Earthquake preparation
School District 47 board of trustees viewed an earthquake video at their meeting on Tuesday, May 17. The footage came from a National Geographic program about the March 2011 earthquake in Japan, the strongest in its history and one of the strongest in world history.
SD47 superintendent of schools Jay Yule said the district is considering including the video for some grades as part of annual earthquake preparedness drills in June. All schools in the district follow drill procedures from the Critical Incident Quick Reference Guide, which covers emergency procedures.
Yule also brought the board’s attention to an earthquake simulator that will be in the parking lot at Crossroads Village Shopping Centre on Monday, June 6, a professional development day. According to Yule, the event will be a good opportunity for students and parents to learn more about earthquakes, through the simulator and interactive displays.
