BSD board still looking to future

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/04/2021 (1969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon School Division board of trustees passed several motions during Monday’s regular meeting to help lay the groundwork for the next couple of school years.

To kick things off, the board approved their proposed budget dates for the 2022-23 school year, which will take place Feb. 17, 2022 (budget presentations), Feb. 22, 2022 (budget deliberations), Feb. 28, 2022 (public budget consultation) and March 7, 2022 (final budget approval).

Of course, these dates could be subject to change based on the provincial funding announcement made prior to Jan. 31, 2022.

The trustees also set the division’s tuition fees for the 2021-22 school year, settling on $1,300 for transfer fees, $5,796 for residual fees, $12,500 for non-resident (First Nation) fees and $12,500 for international student fees.

Additionally, the board decided to set aside $103,400 for an additional project support from the province for additional costs related to the construction of Maryland Park school, which just opened its doors to students in January.*

The board also reaffirmed the division’s 2021-22 financial commitment to the Brandon Schools Instrumental Music Association and the Comprehensive Health Care Aide program, the latter of which is run by Assiniboine Community College at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School.

Finally, the board approved the division’s five-year capital plan from 2022 to 2027.

BSD secretary-treasurer Denis Labossiere clarified that the division has targeted capital projects based on five categories, including construction of new facilities and renovations, accessibility, roofing, structure and systems.

These capital requests, along with others in BSD’s capital plan, haven’t been approved yet and will be submitted to the province for consideration.

Outside of requesting an addition to Maryland Park School, Labossiere said that BSD also wants to conduct significant renovations at Vincent Massey High School to keep up with enrolment.

With regards to accessibility, the division will be focusing on projects at Green Acres School and St. Augustine School throughout the next five years.

BSD is looking to focus some attention on Crocus Plains, Meadows School and J.R. Reid School in the roofing department.

In terms of structure, the division wants to give Alexander School (foundation), Riverheights School (asphalt roof) and École secondaire Neelin High School (foundation) an overhaul.

Finally, the boilers at J.R. Reid, Earl Oxford School and George Fitton School are the top projects earmarked in the systems replacement category.**

The BSD trustees passed all these motions unanimously with very little discussion.

Of course, Monday’s meeting took place under the shadow of Bill 64, the Education Modernization Act, which could dissolve the BSD and its board by 2022-23 if it is passed into law this coming fall.

However, BSD chairperson Linda Ross told the Sun on Monday night that the board is still approaching these meetings as “business as usual” regardless of whether massive change is looming on the horizon.

“We just carry on,” she said over the phone. “The business of education doesn’t stop because the government is reconsidering how to organize it. So we just keep working.”

The BSD board’s next regular meeting will take place May 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Due to new incoming COVID-19 health restrictions, Ross said that trustees will conduct this upcoming meeting totally online as opposed to meeting in person at the division’s headquarters.

* A previous version of this article incorrectly identified that this $103,400 is being used to construct an addition to Maryland Park School.

** A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that all these capital projects had already been approved, when, in fact, they still need to be submitted to the province. 

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