Catholic school board to approve 2003-04 budget

The budget will be high on the agenda when the Northwest District Catholic School Board sits down for its monthly meeting tomorrow in Sioux Lookout.
If approved, the board will have a balanced budget, with revenues and expenditures totalling $13,087,361.
To achieve the balance, $278,367 will be transferred from the Reserve for Classroom Expenditures to the revenue fund—leaving $1,780,000 in the reserve after the transfer.
A further $259,000 will be allocated from flexibility funding to cover deficits in non-classroom areas that cannot be funded by the classroom reserve.
Also tomorrow, the board will receive a detailed presentation from the Special Education Advisory Committee highlighting the accomplishments over the year.
Trustees also will be asked to consider Governance Policy guidelines for approval, including those for the Annual External Audit, Promotion of Catholicity, Trustee Allowance, Performance Appraisal: Director of Education, Electronic Meetings, Trustee Travel and Professional Development, and more.
Reports to be read will include the Variance Report, Enrollment Report, Principal’s Report of School Councils, the Student Achievement Committee Report, and Summer Projects Report.
The “rather aggressive” Summer Renewal Projects planned by the school board for the summer will total roughly $136,000 after monies are transferred from other funds to help pay for the projects.
On the list is the replacement of vinyl flooring with ceramic tile in the southwest wing of Sacred Heart School ($15,000). As well, handicap lift systems will be installed in washrooms at St. Joseph’s, St. Francis, and St. Michael’s for $5,000 each.
The roof over the original section of the building at St. Michael’s School will be replaced at the cost of $150,000. Proposals will be accepted until today, with construction anticipated to be complete by mid-August.
Meanwhile, St. Francis School will have its two oldest washrooms completely renovated over the summer to a cost of $40,000.
Countertops and sinks in three classrooms also will be replaced and cupboards will be refurbished to a cost of $10,000.
A garage/picnic shelter is being constructed at Our Lady of the Way School by volunteers, with materials purchased by the board for about $15,000.
Water system modifications also will be undertaken to the tune of $30,000.