Annual meeting attracts strong turnout

$1.9 million in reduced spending. “One was our lower than anticipated costs for energy, which would be related to a mild winter, lower prices. The other would have been our lower than anticipated costs for in particular teachers, where we didn’t experience extraordinary type of teacher absences that might come from a series of long term illness leaves or something like that.”

The school division came in $1.15 million below budget in the area of instruction. Chinook built in a contingency for teacher leaves over the past school year, so they were able to finish the year $1.19 million under budget spending in teacher staffing. However, support staffing was $367,000 above budget, and the area of other instructional expenses was $374,000 less that budgeted.

“That, in particular in teacher staffing was comprised primarily of a contingency that we set up in the event of unforeseen circumstances like long term illness leaves, extraordinary maternity leaves, that type of thing,” Quintin explained.

The other main reduced expenditure area was in the area of facility operations, which ended the year at $11.8 million, a full $1 million under budget. Building operation expenses specifically were $750,000 under budget.

“We’ve been the benefactors of nice weather and super low energy prices. And that’s really been one of the major contributors.”

Quinton also highlighted Chinook recorded revenues of $89.95 million, which was over budget by approximately $1 million.

One of the unexpected revenues was receiving additional capital grant funding of $1.9 million, most of which was for the addition of four new classrooms at Ecole Centennial.

Chinook funded capital projects which were completed last year, included the Central School accessibility project, a portable classroom relocation project at Fairview School, the Maverick School constrtuction project, bus shop upgrades in Swift Current, Shaunavon, Maple Creek and Fox Valley, plus a bus fueling site under construction in Waldeck.