SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Despite a rise in enrolment at the Route 51 Learning Institute it will not receive an increase in funding from the GNWT, as would be the case for a standard school.

The institute is for students 16 to 21, who wish to continue their high school education via Alberta distance learning courses on the Internet.

Route 51 opened in November of 2009 with 28 students and by June 2010 had 69 students enrolled but served 103 students throughout the school year. In September of 2010, there was an increase of 41 students registered, 110 in total, and the number of students hasn't changed as of May 1, 2011.

The funding formula used by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for alternative schools recently changed from one based on enrolment to a formula based on the number of students who have completed their courses at the end of the school year.

"I have been actively petitioning ECE for more funds for Route 51, and I wanted to add that the support and participation given by ECE for our alternative school program, is very appreciated," said Metro Huculak, superintendent of education.

All Yk Education District No. 1 schools will be getting new playground equipment this fall.

"Each school was given $15,000 from Yk1, and matched another $10,000 for schools that fundraised $10,000 themselves," said Allan Short, chairperson of the board.

Each school was successful in raising the money and the new equipment is to be installed before the start of the 2011/2012 school year.

Range Lake North raised the most money out of all the schools with a total of $10,000 and, along with money from the board, a total of $35,000 will be going towards playground equipment.

Shirley Zouboules, assistant principal, said the parent advisory committee raised the extra funds.

"PAC has been saving the money from the Annual Family Fun Night at Range Lake since 2009 and contributed the $10,000 for the playground equipment," said Zouboules.

The Yk1 district is dipping into its accumulated surplus of $2,549,000 to add $1,000,000 to its expenditures budget for the 2011/2012 school year.

This will leave the district with an accumulated surplus of $1,549,000 as of June 30, 2011, which equals 5 per cent of the board's revenues and expenditures.

The total amount of revenue for YK1 is $30,666,404 and the total amount of expenditures is $30,855,626 said Tram Do, the director of Corporate Services in her presentation of the 2011/2012 budget to the school board.

The district receives 78 per cent of its revenue from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and "enrolment drives ECE funding," said Do. Enrolment has increased for the district, including kindergarten enrolment which has ballooned to 187 students registered across the district in the 2010/2011 school year from 129 in the 2009/2010 year.

The draft budget had its first reading on May 10 and is scheduled to be approved at the June 14 board meeting.

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