Schools in the Cariboo will benefit from the province’s School Enhancement Program.
The Cariboo-Chilcotin School District is getting more than $2.7 million dollars, while the Quesnel School District is getting just under $1.8 million.
Bettina Ketcham is the Secretary-Treasurer for the Quesnel District…
“We’ve been awarded roofing replacement of 1.3 million dollars at Correlieu as well as some carbon neutral programming funding for 300 thousand dollars which is going to cover LED lighting upgrades at both Correlieu and Red Bluff this year, which is very exciting.”
Ketcham says this funding is outside of the block funding that they get for capital projects and operating grants…
“The Ministry of Education identified that there is a need for school districts across the province to help with enhancement within their capital projects that weren’t being covered by the annual facilities grant. It’s separate pots of money just to ensure that schools are well maintained as they age.”
Ketcham says District’s have until the end of June to submit applications for projects under this program, and she says they are now in the process of getting ready for next year…
“We’re getting the capital instructions probably within the next month here and then we have to submit by June 30th, so what will happen is that the Board of Education will make its deliberations based on recommendations put forward by our Manager of Operations and myself. And we try to rank the priorities at various schools and try to identify significant needs at various sites and put forward a capital plan project to submit to the Ministry for approval for the following year.”
Quesnel is also getting money this year for one new bus.
Projects in the Cariboo-Chilcotin School District this year include money for a roof upgrade and replacement at various schools including Horse Lake, 100 Mile, and Lac La Hache elementary schools, as well as for the installation of a stand-alone power system at Naghtaneqed Elementary-Junior Secondary.
School District 27 is also getting three new buses.