School board sets budget meetings, accepts funds for Montessori school

Budget meetings

School District 57 has set dates for its public budget consultations.

The board opted to offer two meetings in April, rather than a second option that offered a third, earlier, meeting in February.

Trustee Sharel Warrington noted her opposition, preferring the first option which offered an earlier public meeting in February.

"The first part of this consultation is an educational piece," she said. "It's really about how our district budgets its revenues and expenses.

"When you try to condense too much in one meeting you sometime miss the very important nuggets (of information)," Warrington said. "We also want to encourage more people to get involved in that process."

Trustee Brenda Hooker said the board can still stress education with the two meetings.

"It's just a bit more of a condensed process."

The board said it could plan additional meetings if necessary. The meetings are scheduled for April 4 and 20, with a location still to be determined.

Polaris funding

School District 57 voted to pass the necessary bylaws so it could accept $230,000 in provincial funding for upgrades to Polaris Montessori Elementary School.

The Ministry of Education previously announced it would hand the elementary $100,000 to upgrade its fire protection system and a further $130,000 to upgrade the gymnasium heating and ventilation unit.