Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 11/99) - Despite the shock news of the supension of Superintentent Ken Woodley, it was all smiles at Yellowknife's public education board office last Friday.

On the heels of a ratepayers' meeting earlier in the week, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 was announcing a proposed, balanced budget for their upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1.

"It's a good news budget," said finance committee chairman Don MacDonald. "It's balanced and we're expecting a projected surplus of $207,500."

The $18.8-million budget affects seven school and some 2,239 students.

MacDonald said the big news at the ratepayers' meeting was that there is no planned increase in the mill rate -- the amount taxpayers pay toward public education. He said the rate would remain as it stands -- approximately six per cent for every $1,000 of assessed property value or, for example, roughly $880 on a three-bedroom, 11-year-old home. Secretary/treasurer Grant Rice said the last increase was in 1994.

The board's healthy financial position appears almost in contrast to the bleak picture of Northern education presented during the recent territorial budget debates.

MacDonald said the balanced budget comes despite two ongoing capital projects -- the $14.4-million renovation to Sir John Franklin high school and the $3-million Ecole Allain St. Cyr construction project.

"We're using local contractors, so that this is $17 million we're inserting in the local economy," MacDonald said. "These are two of the largest capital projects going on in Yellowknife."

MacDonald said the board's strong position will most likely mean Yellowknife schools will continue to attract students from the regions.

"Our doors are always open to anyone who wants education," he said.

Since funding is partially based on student enrolment, this trend can only benefit the board.

But MacDonald added that the board is not immune to some of the problems highlighted during the territorial budget debates.

"We're hearing the calls for more special-needs education in the classes," he said. "Seventy-seven per cent of our expenditures go directly into school program, and right now 6.7 per cent of that goes for special needs...if we had more resources, they would be put to special needs."

The proposed budget must still be approved by Yk No. 1's seven-member board of directors.

Charting a course

Deputy superintendent Judith Knapp said the balanced budget would enable the board to proceed with some radical changes to its curriculum and plan for a healthy future.

Knapp said the board will be introducing a new curriculum in the fall that involves adopting a more illustrative, hands-on approach to arts and mathematics.

"We're focusing on a real-life curriculum to prepare the students for the real world," she said.

Knapp said all the schools, as well as the board, have been working on plans that chart out their paths -- two-year plans for the future.

"It's amazing how well the plans weave together," she said. "The board and administration are truly thinking along the same lines."