Draft budget 2020-21

Our ongoing priority is to support more than 15,000 students living in southwest Winnipeg. We know that both families and community value the innovative programs and services offered in Pembina Trails. This year, our board, like many across Manitoba, have faced some extremely tough decisions while shaping the upcoming budget.

In order to comply with the province’s mandate of reducing overall management by at least 15 per cent and meeting the special requirement increase cap of 2 per cent, some reorganization and reassignments are proposed in the 2020/21 draft budget.

“This has been a trying process. We have been listening carefully to our parents, staff and students and feel that this proposed reorganization allows us to maintain current class sizes as well as the programs and services that support our three expectations for student learning,” said chair of the board, Jaime Glenat.

To balance the budget, the board is reducing one assistant superintendent position and proposing to reassign a number of non-classroom based teaching positions. This leaner budget means saving current programs at our 35 schools.

“We are confident that our dedicated staff will continue to move forward during these challenging times and will take pride in our ongoing commitment to educational excellence,” shared Glenat.

Our board is recommending a draft budget that puts Pembina Trails students first, while supporting staff to meet the growing needs of our vibrant community. 

A closer look at the numbers 

• Increase in combined operating and capital expenditures $2,172,041 or 1.2 per cent
• Percentage increase in school taxes on the average homeowner – 1.2 per cent or $27
• Projected percentage increase from the Provincial Funding of Schools Program –1.2 per cent
• Draft budget combined operating and capital expenditures - $180,702,477
• Percentage revenue increase from all sources (excluding property tax) –This amount is projected to be unchanged from last year, despite an increase in enrolment.                 

Funding sources

 The largest source of financial support, apart from school taxes, comes from the province. 

Projected impact on taxpayers

The average homeowner with a house valued at $436,889 would see an increase of $27 or $ 2.25 a month in school taxes.  

A look at some of the proposed operation and administrative reductions

• Eliminating one assistant superintendent position  
• Eliminating one executive assistant position
• Reviewing and adjusting the number of non-classroom based teaching positions
• Placing a number of building maintenance and ongoing improvement projects on hold  

Spending increases

• Pembina Trails continues to grow. We are projecting 500 new students in 2020/21. This means we will need to add roughly 15 teachers. This budget provides support for enough classroom teachers to maintain current class size ratios. 
• Expanding the STEM program to three additional middle years schools helps support our strategy to encourage careers of the future. 
• Growing our Indigenous teacher network to include an additional Indigenous student success teacher and continuing working with our Indigenous scholar in residence.

We would like to hear from you

As always, public feedback on draft budget may be made by letter directed to the board of trustees, by email at budget@pembinatrails.ca or by appearing as a delegation, in person, at the regular board meeting to be held on Thursday, February 27, 2020.If you are interested in appearing as a delegation, you are required to email a notice to appear and the written presentation to Emily Vickers at evickers@pembinatrails.ca by Thursday, February 20, 2020.