MOOSE JAW — Trustees with Holy Trinity Catholic School Division spent less on conferences, committee meetings and professional development during the 2023-24 school year, leading to savings in their governance budget of nearly $15,000.
The board of education had budgeted $183,513 for governance during the previous school year, but by the end of its fiscal year on Aug. 31, it had spent $168,521, a board report showed. This resulted in savings of $14,992.
Governance expenditures during the past three fiscal periods ending Aug. 31 averaged 83.8 per cent of budget; in 2023 it was 86.4 per cent, in 2022 it was 69.9 per cent and in 2021 it was 95.2 per cent.
There were 21 expense categories in the board’s budget in 2023-24, with 13 areas under budget and eight categories over budget.
Under budget
The categories that were under budget — budgeted versus actual and variance — were:
- National Catholic trustees’ conference: $14,640 / $11,415 / $3,225
- Provincial school boards’ spring assembly: $8,250 / $1,921 / $6,329
- Parish council meetings: $2,590 / $2,000 / $590
- Awards, flowers, gifts: $520 / $0 / $520
- Provincial Catholic school board membership: $14,040 / $13,111 / $929
- Board committee meetings: $6,935 / $4,750 / $2,185
- Travel time: $5,380 / $5,265 / $115
- Board meetings: $26,345 / $26,231 / $114
- Professional development: $9,695 / $1,600 / $8,095
- Scholarships: $520 / $500 / $20
- School community councils: $18,063 / $15,474 / $2,589
- Insurance: $2,005 / $0 / $2,005
Over budget
The categories that were over budget — budgeted versus actual and variance — were:
- Board retreat: $0 / $1,034 / -$1,034
- National school boards conference: $0 / $4,878 / -$4,878
- Radio/digital communications: $0 / $672 / -$672
- Chairperson events: $3,625 / $7,398 / -$3,773
- Board special events: $4,035 / $5,150 / -$1,115
- Special board meetings: $3,780 / $4,341 / -$561
- Provincial school boards’ fall assembly: $7,625 / $8,526 / -$901
- Provincial school boards’ membership: $48,100 / $48,333 / -$233
Strike savings
School divisions saved money during the 2023-24 school year when teachers engaged in job actions over several days.
The Ministry of Education has told boards that the savings they experienced during the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation’s strike actions cannot be spent or allocated for any other purpose, a board report said. Instead, the ministry has said those savings must be used to offset costs for future provincial collective bargaining agreements.
During the previous school year, Holy Trinity’s strike savings were $269,844.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, Oct. 21.
