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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Fewer students are expected to attend Yellowknife's Catholic school this autumn, a trend in recent years that results in fewer teaching jobs and contributes to annual deficits.

For 2010-11, continued declining enrolment is a big reason behind the board's projected operating deficit of almost $200,000.

Mike Huvenaars, assistant-superintendent for business at Yellowknife Catholic Schools (YCS), says the economic downturn of the last few years has hurt enrolment numbers.

"For enrolment figures to go up, the city needs more economic activity to happen, say another diamond mine or more jobs," Huvenaars said.

Enrolment, meanwhile, at Yk Education District No. 1 is going up, including 58 more kindergarten students expected this fall over last year.

Huvenaars added that another factor negatively affecting enrolment was the fire at St. Joseph's School in 2006 and subsequent years of reconstruction and renovation there.

Meanwhile, the assistant-superintendent said the result of lower enrolment is YCS having to taking steps like operating with a deficit next school year and hiring fewer teachers.

"Obviously there are lots of factors that contribute to a deficit, but sometimes we have to make some hard decisions," he said.

Still, Huvenaars said there is no reason to panic.

"The board has a net surplus of $761,707, and after we dip into that to cover the deficit this year, there will be approximately $577,223 left over," he said.

"The amount of the surplus stems from several years ago, when the board did not project a deficit," he said.

Management of the board's funds is all about balance, he said.

"As a non-profit organization we need to manage our funds to ensure that we do

not have a large accumulated surplus or large accumulated deficit," he explained. "In order to reduce the amount of the accumulated surplus we need to have a

deficit budget."

Yellowknife Catholic Schools initially approved its 2011-2012 operating budget at the board meeting on May 18. But at the board's June 15 meeting, it was announced that several budget adjustments needed to be made, totalling $48,033.

"The adjustments increased the board's revenue from $24,326,276 to $24, 374,309 and its expenditures from $24,731,672 to $24,779,705," Huvenaars said.

One adjustment came in the form of $75,000 in new funding from the GNWT, which will allow the Catholic board to hire a literacy coach for next year - despite the fact that it will hire fewer

teachers overall.

Superintendent Claudia Parker said the GNWT announcement came shortly after the operating budget was approved at the May 18 meeting, and required the board to make a further adjustment to the revenue portion of the budget.

"The addition of the funding for the literacy coach position increased the total expenses for the board to $24,577,129," Huvenaars said.

The board also received a $5,000 donation from the Yellowknife Community Foundation, which will go toward technology expenses at Weledeh School.

"The operating deficit planned for next year is a small one," Huvenaars said. "We continue to deliver great educational programs and provide support to our students."

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