FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
South Shore Regional School Board Approves 2013-14 Budget
Bridgewater, NS – The South Shore Regional School Board (SSRSB) approved its 2013-14 $73.4 million balanced budget on Wednesday, June 12, 2013, at its monthly board meeting in Bridgewater.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
South Shore Regional School Board Approves 2013-14 Budget
Bridgewater, NS – The South Shore Regional School Board (SSRSB) approved its 2013-14 $73.4 million balanced budget on Wednesday, June 12, 2013, at its monthly board meeting in Bridgewater.
“Education in Nova Scotia continues to be affected by increased cost pressures and reduced revenues from the provincial government,” said Board Chair Jennifer Naugler. “As the SSRSB adjusts to the enrolment decline and provincial cost-cutting measures, it remains our priority to protect classroom services for our students. However, the effect of any reduction is widespread and can be felt throughout the entire system.”
The provincial government provided targeted funding for the 2013-14 budget to partially cover wage increases for NSTU staff and non-NSTU staff for a total of $1.09 million. The SSRSB also received $1.1 million in targeted funding for capital projects.
“We appreciate the targeted funding specifically to offset some of the wage increases and for capital projects in our schools,” said Acting Superintendent Dr. Jim Gunn. “These expenses are new to us this year, so the support is critical.”
Reductions in staff and system supports were required to balance the budget. “We have cut teachers, regional office positions and budget lines for every department, including a significant reduction in expenditures to the Operations department,” said Dr. Gunn. “I am concerned about the impact on students as you cannot take from the system and not feel the affect in the classroom. This goes for school-based staff and supports to the system as a whole. Families, students and staff have already expressed that they are feeling the cuts from previous years.”
Over the past two budget years there have been significant reductions to services, including regional office and school-based staff.
- How SSRSB balanced its 2013-14 budget:
- Reduced 17 FTE school based teaching positions
- Reduced 2.5 FTE non-teaching support staff due to school closures and realignment
- Reduced 2.2 FTE regional office positions
- Reduced operating capital maintenance expenditures
- Reduced transportation expenditures
- Reduced telecommunications expenditures
- Increased 2.55 FTE school-based externally funded positions
- Increased two FTE school-based specialists to meet student services standards
- Revenue received from the Province of Nova Scotia for targeted initiatives
- Cost savings from defined benefit pension plan (non-teaching staff)
- Operational cost savings from school closures
- Cost savings from staffing cuts made in 2012-13 budget – August 2012 to July 2013 savings.
In the coming weeks the SSRSB budget document will be made available to the public on the school board’s website.
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For more information, contact:
Trish Smith
Communications Manager
Phone: (902) 541-3005
Cell: (902) 523-1664