Southwest Saskatchewan

Provincial Budget
The Chinook School Division will need to come up with an extra $1.2 million in order to stay above the red in the upcoming fiscal year (Sept. 1, 2010 to Aug. 31, 2011), according to a newsletter released by Chinook on April 13.

The school division anticipates a 1.5 percent increase in total revenue that year, however increased staff salaries, pension contributions, utility rates and fuel costs will likely exceed any extra revenue and plunge Chinook down into the negatives.

Although the Saskatchewan government stated it would help cover any rising costs - such as teacher bargaining agreements or implementation of government priorities - Chinook administration is anticipating the need for some cost reductions.

Chinook will attempt to keep those cuts as far away from the classrooms as possible.

Preliminary budget estimates will be presented to Chinook School Division board members for discussion on April 26. Finalized estimates will be submitted to the ministry by June.

School Community Council-Board Forum
The Chinook board of education and members of school community councils (SCCs) within the division will unite to participate in a forum at Bridgeway Church in Swift Current on April 15.

The forum will include presentations by Abbey, Val Marie and Oman SCC members to outline the literacy initiatives at each of the schools in the last year. Members of the Burstall SCC will discuss their efforts to gain community support for the grade discontinuance set to take effect in the 2010-2011 school year.

All division SCCs are welcome to share and discuss their own concerns.

Burstall Haiti Challenge
An initiative to help raise money for relief in Haiti raised a total of $15,620.

Quality Daily Physical Activity Awards
Ashley Park, Consul, Eastend, Oman, Fairview, Grassy Hill Colony, O.M. Irwin and Ponteix Schools were all recognized by the Saskatchewan Physical Education Association for their high quality physical education programs in 2009-2010.

Chinook Web Portal Update
Design of the much-anticipted new web portal will be delayed until the summer.