Regular Board Meeting Highlights - May 28, 2024

Wednesday, May 29, 2024 - The Board of Trustees is pleased to share with all education stakeholders the highlights of our recent Board meeting held on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

The adopted minutes will be available on our website following the next Regular Board meeting:

• The Board welcomed a delegation that included their nominee for the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) Friends of Education Award. The Spruce Grove Rotary Community Partners Society is an innovative charitable organization and dedicated partner in education that has made an enormous impact on the students and school communities of Parkland School Division through their pursuit of addressing food insecurity for children and their families. Rotarians Diane Brown and John Oldham were in attendance to be acknowledged on behalf of all the volunteers' efforts.
• The Board approved the 2024-2025 Fiscal Budget. The approved budget of $158 million dollars accounts for a 2.9% increase in revenues and a 2.7% increase in expenditures. The budget results in a deficit of $250K. This $250K is the result of accounting for the amortization on the asset retirement obligation and does not impact PSD’s operating reserves. Total revenue is $157,920,167 with expenses of $158,170,303. It is expected that Division’s accumulated surplus from operations (inclusive of SGF- $756,533) will have a balance of $5,401,234 as of August 31, 2025.
• The Board approved the 2024-2027 Education Plan as presented by Associate Superintendent, Scott M. Johnston. School authority planning is an integral component of school authority accountability and assurance. The Board of Trustees, in collaboration with the Executive Team, and informed by the members of the PSD Lead Team, parents, students, and community stakeholders develops the annual Education Plan to set out the deliverable actions for the following year. The plan focuses on 6 main outcomes:
  • Students and Staff Demonstrate Success
  • Students and Staff Demonstrate Well-Being
  • First Nations, Métis and Inuit Students are Successful
  • Students and Staff Build Community, Promote Equity, and Foster Diversity
  • Support Systems are Efficient and Effective
  • Parkland School Division is Well Governed
• The Board received as information School Resource Officer Report as presented by Deputy Superintendent, Mark Francis, School Resource Officer, Cst. Robert Hinman and Memorial Composite High School Principal, Carolyn Jensen.
• The Board received as information Technology Services Report as presented by Director, Technology Services, Mark Karaki.
• The Board received as information Career and Technology Report as presented by Director, Numeracy and Assessment, Shaye Patras.
• The Board received as information Student Advisory Report as presented by Associate Superintendent Johnston.
• The Board received as information Education Planning Day Summary Report as presented by Associate Superintendent Johnston.
• The Board received as information Rural Education Engagement Report as presented by Associate Superintendent Johnston.
• Trustees continue to work on their advocacy plan for the replacement of Spruce Grove Composite High School (SGCHS). Alberta Education responded to the Trustees’ letter regarding the Horizon Stage community theatre and overall SGCHS replacement project. Budget 2024 did not include construction funding for the replacement school; however, Alberta Education stated that the project remains a priority for government and will continue to progress using the design funding that was approved in Budget 2023. The project will be considered for construction funding in Budget 2025 as it remains a top priority in PSD’s Capital Plan. Alberta Education has requested additional information, including an explanation of how the joint-ownership of the theatre space and the provisions of the 1989 agreement (governance of land and structures on the school site) will be managed between the Division and the City of Spruce Grove.

The next regular board meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 9 a.m.