Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 17/02) - Yellowknife Education District No. 1 will add 7.75 staff positions and cut its deficit by $322,294 if a second draft of its budget is passed this June.

Trustees put the finishing touches on the $21.8 million budget at a closed 7:30 a.m. meeting on Tuesday. They presented the second draft to a standing-room only audience later in the day. The document calls for:

• a student:teacher ratio of 17:1 (the Education Act calls for 16.5:1 for 2002-03)
• three new special needs positions
• 1.5 aboriginal language and cultural positions
• 1.5 extra early childhood literacy positions
• 0.5 new math positions
• two new teachers
• $329,729 for a restitution program
• $115,252 for a Smart Communities initiative
• $50,000 into a building reserve for Mildred Hall
• $50,000 into a general operating fund reserve

The literacy and math co-ordinator positions come in response to recent poor showings by the district on standardized tests. The literacy position is designed to help out, in part, math scores, since one of the problems dogging students is difficulty in comprehending written math questions.

At the meeting, members of the audience got a scolding from board chair Dan Schofield, who lashed out at critics of the budget. He told those in attendance they should thank trustees for their hard work and for listening to the public.

"This budget didn't come easy," he said. "This is a very wrestled-out document. ... This board of trustees needs a bit of a thank you. Everybody makes demands, very few people have solutions," he said.

Several audience members followed his suggestion. One woman said, "I am impressed with the second draft. You were listening."

Focus on the classroom

Schofield stressed the budget's authors centred on keeping funds in the classroom. Only 1.75 positions were eliminated from the schools -- one custodial, a half school secretary for Sir John and a quarter teacher for N.J. Macpherson.

Part of the additional school staff is being funded through unforeseen revenue boosts. For example, Yellowknife 1 pencilled in $256,041 additional dollars from the GNWT and $69,621 more than expected from the city of Yellowknife.

However, the additional positions don't come solely from revenue gains. Administrative staff are also being swapped out in exchanged for more school staff. The budget calls for a decrease of 1.8 positions from the Yellowknife 1 district office. That has superintendent Judith Knapp a little concerned.

"I'm pleased (with the budget as a whole), but I do see some difficulties," she said. "If we go with the cuts that were proposed last night, we have lost 30 per cent of our support (in the district office). The classrooms have definitely been enriched, but as far as our ability to service the schools --that will be very much reduced."

Since position cuts are linked with faces in the office, Knapp said the decision has not yet been made on where the axe will fall. She is currently in discussion with staff, and part-time options are on the table.

"Everyone's gone back to put their heads together to see how we can reorganize." After presenting the budget, trustees fielded questions from the public on what the board is doing to procure extra funding. Several people asked about the reserve funds. Trustees said they are needed for unforeseen capital crises and unexpected money needs during renovation of Mildred Hall school. One person questioned the extra funds from the GNWT and city of Yellowknife, wondering whether they would be permanent. Schofield expressed some exasperation with the funding. He said the district is underfunded and already employs more people than it receives money for.