How should the New Westminster school district spend your tax dollars?
School District 40 is inviting input from parents, students, staff and community members as it starts drawing up its budget for the 2022/23 school year.
With a budget of $84.9 million or so to cover all its operating and capital costs, SD40’s annual budget process always starts with setting priorities for its funding allocation from the B.C. Ministry of Education.
That’s where you come in.
The district has sent out a survey to families by email, and the survey is also posted at the district website for anyone who’d like to offer feedback. The survey takes respondents through some of the district’s priority efforts: reducing barriers for vulnerable and marginalized students; pandemic response and recovery; climate action and environmental education; and technology.
It’s open until April 23.
District staff and board members are also holding virtual meetings Tuesday and Wednesday (April 19 and 20) with specific stakeholder groups: the New Westminster Teachers’ Union, CUPE (representing support staff), the district parent advisory council, Student Voice, the Indigenous education committee, and the principals and vice-principals’ group.
All that feedback will be used to help the school board decide on its priorities for spending in the 2022/23 budget.
Formal recommendations from the superintendent will be presented to the board at its May 10 operations committee meeting before trustees vote on the new budget.
A 2022/23 budget will be set by the end of May, to be sent to the B.C. Ministry of Education by the end of June.
You can find an overview of budget information and the budget survey at the school district’s website.
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca.
