BARRHEAD - While the Pembina Hills School Division is still likely to end the year with an operating deficit, projections based on the first financial quarter indicate the school division may end the year in a slightly better position than expected.
During their Jan. 19 meeting, Pembina Hills trustees received a presentation on the quarterly statement of operations for the three-month period ending Nov. 30, 2021. They later passed a motion accepting the statement for information.
Secretary-treasurer Heather Nanninga said they share operational and financial information with trustees following each financial quarter so that they have an idea of where the division is at, adding that this was the first such presentation given to this board.
Pembina Hills originally budgeted to the end of the 2021-2022 school year with a $1.661 million operating deficit, but if the financial results from the first quarter are an indication for how the rest of the year goes, the deficit may be closer to $1.1 million.
Noting the largest source of funding for the school division is provincial grant money, Nanninga said they are expecting to receive slightly more grant funding than expected due to having some left-over COVID grant money from the previous year.
Other sources of revenue like transportation fees are projected to be slightly down due to COVID cancelling school trips and the like, but a high number of enrolments by students from outside of Pembina Hills in Vista Virtual School means that revenue from sales and services should be up slightly.
Under expenses, the amount of spending on pre-Kindergarten and K-12 instruction is expected to be down from what was budgeted, but other expenses like operations and maintenance and system administration will be higher than expected.
Overall, the division should do OK this year in terms of its budget projections. “We’re not expecting anything really wild,” Nanninga said.
Board chair Judy Lefebvre, speaking on behalf of the board, expressed gratitude for Nanninga’s efforts. "I would like to compliment you on the work that you do for us,” she added.
