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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Fewer than a dozen teachers at Yellowknife Catholic Schools received pink slips before March Break, the assistant superintendent said at Wednesday's public ratepayers meeting.

"There's only so many things you can do outside of salary and benefits," said Mike Huvenaars, adding teachers and staff pay accounts for 78 per cent of the budget. "We did lay some people off already."

The cuts come as the board faces its third-straight year of declining enrolment. The board projects a $21.7-million budget just inside the black for 2009-2010, after years of having comfortable surpluses. This year's surplus is projected at $45,134.

As student enrolment declines, so does government funding - which accounts for 70 per cent of the school board's budget. The board's property tax rate has stayed the same for more than 10 years, Huvenaars said.

"We've been lucky we've been able to balance a budget without raising property taxes," he said. "But it won't last forever."

He would not say exactly how many teachers were laid-off, and could not identify which schools were impacted.

Meanwhile, there will be no lay offs at YK1 schools, said Mel Pardy, assistant superintendent of education yesterday.

An application for federal funding for a program for high-risk students may mean Catholic teachers will keep their jobs, Huvenaars said.

"I had to assume the funding will not come through," he said, referring to the budget cuts. The federal funding announcement is expected by early June - days before the YCS budget will be brought before trustees at the June 17 board meeting.

Catholic board superintendent Gwen Keith said teachers who've received lay off notices will need to have credentials for the new program in order to keep their jobs.

"It's got to fit the jobs," she said.

No parents or community members attended Wednesday's public budget consultation meeting.

GNWT funding for 2009-10 is based on the 2008-2009 enrolment numbers, which fell by about 70 students, Huvenaars said. Enrolment is expected to decline by another 40 students next year, leaving the board with about 1,375 students between the three Yellowknife schools.

Enrolment at Weledeh School has gradually increased over the past 10 years, while fewer students have attended St. Joseph School and St. Patrick High School.

Both the YK1 board and the French board are also seeing declining enrolment with projected budget cuts.

Resignations and retirements will mean lay offs won't happen this year at YK1 schools, Pardy said. However, some term contracts may not be renewed.

"We don't have an actual count," he said. "But at this point we certainly know we will have no lay offs."

Huvenaars said increases in salaries and benefits and increased electricity costs have also contributed to the Catholic board's budget cuts.

The continued declining enrolment is worrisome for the school board as well as the city, he said.

"Three years in a row - that is concerning," he said. "My personal view is affordable housing is a big part of the challenge."

The schools are full of vibrant activity, he said.

"I don't want to see it going down."

But Keith said it's not just an issue for Yellowknife.

"This trend exists across the country," she said. "We just need to work around it."