The provincial budget didn’t include funds to modernize St. Patrick Catholic School, but it did have something the school district has been asking for: a sunshine list. Superintendent Karl Germann says they’re happy to see they’re one of unfunded capital projects named.
“Knowing that we made the sunshine list shows that we’re going to get funding for a project, and the minister said they’ll continue to work with boards to revise what was originally posted on the sunshine list. We’re looking forward to continue working with government and getting that project moving.”
They have already changed the scope of the project to include building a new St. Gerard so that St. Pat’s students can move into the old St. Gerard and the old St. Pat’s can be torn down. Germann stresses it’s a critically important move as the school district continues to grow at the younger grades.
Germann says they’re pleased overall with the budget and understand the constraints the province is under with the current economy. While there’s no increase in overall education funding, he points out that new students to the district are being supported.
“We’re just pleased that new students that move into the jurisdiction will be funded, because last year government wasn’t going to fund new students and we can’t put kindergarten kids on wait lists; when kids come we have to meet their needs. It’s a stable budget that doesn’t have a lot of extras, but it helps us meet our current needs in our community.”
A new school is opening up in Beaverlodge in June, St. Catherine’s in Royal Oaks will open in July, ground breaks on Arbour Hills in July as well and St. Kateri’s modernization will start at the end of the year.