Quesnel’s Board of Education gave all three readings to it’s 2023-24 Preliminary Operating Budget at this week’s meeting.
Secretary-Treasurer Jennifer Woollends goes over a few of the numbers.
“The annual budget is set at $50,623,514. The Board anticipates there will be an operating surplus for next year of $165,150.”
Woollends says the Board decided to take that surplus and also use accumulated operating surplus funds to pay for additional staffing.
“They include additions to teaching around literacy and curriculum, numeracy as well as mental health, SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification), and Indigenous education staffing.”
Woollends says these decisions were made following consultation with a number of groups.
“The Board and the District solicited feedback from our partner groups, aboriginal education, our QDTA the teachers union, as well as from CUPE 4990 support union, the principal’s association, and the public.”
Woollends says these positions were not necessarily new, as some were temporary in the prior year and have been identified as resources that would be beneficial for this coming school year as well.