An audit the Rainy River District School Board’s finance committee submitted to the Ministry of Education last month shows the board is meeting regulations for average class size and teaching assignment.
Local elementary schools housing JK-grade three average 20.92 students per class, well under the required standard of 24, while those holding JK-grade eight average 22.96 per class, again below the 24.5 pupil limit.
Secondary student enrolment was at 19.96 per class, below the mandatory 21 pupil limit.
“The lower than provincially-regulated class size in the Rainy River District reflects a large number of small schools throughout our vast region,” Education Director Warren Hoshizaki said.
Class sizes do not affect funding, which instead is based on total enrolment. And the smaller schools can keep on going because of special educational grants.
When broken down school by school, two schools have an average number of elementary students slightly higher than the provincial limit of 24.5. Sturgeon Creek in Barwick (JK-grade eight) has an average of 25 pupils per class while Robert Moore here has 24.63.
And while Fort Frances High School had an average class size of 21.66, Atikokan High School and Rainy River High School classes are filled with an average of only 18.26 and 14.58 students respectively.
The audit is an mandatory annual procedure.
In other finance news at last night’s regular meeting here, the board approved the audited financial statements for 1999-2000, which showed a preliminary surplus of $101,743.
The surplus has been applied to an outstanding debt per an earlier board resolution, resulting in break-even status. The debt was a capital project at North Star Community School in Atikokan.
The board also realized savings throughout the year ending Aug. 31, 2000.
“The board is in compliance with ministry expenditure envelopes,” said Chief Financial Officer Laura Mills, adding expenditures levels in the classroom exceed ministry requirements while those on administration and governance were under the cap.
The board also approved its 2000 borrowing resolution. Due to being two years behind in taxes, it will continue to have a borrowing limit of $4 million for another year.
The 2000 limit had been increased from $3 million to $4 million due to multi-use expenses and lack of tax insurance for unorganized areas.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
