BARRHEAD – Unused professional development funds from Pembina Hills school trustees will be reallocated toward classroom support following a motion raised at the June 25 board meeting.
“I know specifically for the year we're facing that we are willing to set some restraint and to put money into the classrooms,” said school trustee Victoria Kane.
Kane had spoken to administration about what her outstanding personal development funds were and the unused personal development funds from the Swan Hills Trustee budget.
There is $1,700 that could go back into funding.
The board felt that this was a good idea and asked administration to estimate the total unused personal development funds for the entire board, which equates to $7,000.
Board members were in favour of this motion, and it was carried.
All Board members agreed that every dollar was important, considering the reduction in the overall funding for Pembina Hills School Division for the 2025/2026 school year.
Any unspent funds from a budget year will go into the reserve fund.
Superintendent Brett Cooper and secretary treasurer Heather Nanninga offered specifics on what has happened with funds in the reserve and what those things have funded in the past.
Cooper said that school principals have been working hard to find creative ways to offer services without asking for funding from the school division.
Requests are starting to come in because there are not enough funds in the budget allocated to Pembina Hills to be able to provide the level of service students and parents have seen in the past, he noted.
By targeting the classroom operation learning needs, the money could be used to fund additional Education Assistant hours or other instructional supports, said Cooper.
The actual amount will be determined in August but there is a possibility this may fund an extra hour of Education Assistant support per day for the year.
The challenge is that so many other supports have costs rising, with no funds to cover those costs, said Cooper, adding there has already been activity in calls coming in with new students moving to the area.
The existing reserve funds could be used up before the 2025/2026 school year even begins.
