Regular Board Meeting Highlights - November 30, 2021
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Tuesday, November 30, 2021 - The Board of Trustees is pleased to share with all education stakeholders the highlights of our recent Board meeting on Tuesday, November 30, 2021. The adopted minutes will be available on our website following the next Regular Board meeting. (Note: the meeting recording was joined in progress after sorting through some technical difficulties. The recording begins with Agenda Item 4 - Delegation - Presentation.
Update:
- The Board welcomed a delegation virtually from Memorial Composite High School and Woodhaven Middle School. Grade 12 student Tacey Robertson (MCHS) and Grade 9 student Damian Gryshik (WMS) shared their experience as members of the 2020-2021 Minister's Youth Council.
- The Board approved the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended August 31, 2021 as recommended by the Audit Committee.
- The independent auditors from PricewaterhouseCoopers provided an unqualified report. The statements presented fairly, in all material aspects the financial position of Parkland School Division. Parkland School Division ended the fiscal year with an operating surplus of $3,674,690. Revenue for the year was $134,289,487 while operating expenses were $130,614,797.
- The Board approved the Annual Education Results Report (AERR) as presented by Associate Superintendent, Scott Johnston. The Annual Education Results Report for 2020-2021 addresses the previous year’s achievement on each of the Board’s locally developed assurance elements and on Alberta Education’s Business Plan outcomes.
- The Board approved the recommendation that the Transportation Services Department be allowed to operate outside its funding envelope for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Inflation has placed increasing pressures on Contract Bus Operators (CBO’s). The Division shares the operators' concerns that these increases may not be viable. PSD would be significantly impacted, particularly in the rural areas, as we cover a large geographic area and the local contractors in these areas deliver bus service to students. The Alberta Risk Management Consortium (ARMIC), School Transportation Association of Alberta and other Boards have raised these concerns to the Alberta Government and have advocated for additional funding. To date, no additional funding has been announced by the Alberta Government.
- The Board received as information its 2021-2022 Fall Forecast. The forecasted revenues are $133,702,241 an increase of 1.4% over the budget. The forecasted expenditures are $135,080,605 an increase of 0.9% over the budget. The Division is forecasting a deficit of $1,378,364 compared to a deficit of $2,000,000 in the budget.
- The Board received as information the Early Learning Report as presented by Associate Superintendent, Dr. Meg Miskolzie and Division Principal, Christine Ross.
- The Board received as information the Community Partnership Report as presented by Associate Superintendent, Dr. Meg Miskolzie and Division Principal, Christine Ross.