The Lakehead District School Board approved a $132.8 million budget that focuses on full-day kindergarten, information technology and mental health.
The 2013-2014 budget is up slightly from last year’s $131.4 million. The board approved the increased budget Tuesday evening.
Budget committee chairwoman Marg Arnone called it a stable budget.
The three main focuses of the budget are all about student success, she told CKPR radio Wednesday morning.
“The expansion of full-day kindergarten is priority,” she said. “Every school in September will have a full-day kindergarten.”
The budget also reflects the $2.85 million technology boost the school board announced in February that will see all schools expand their Wi-Fi and bandwidth and bring more laptops, tablets and SMART boards into all Thunder Bay public schools.
“Information technology is really huge because it is an investment in their future. It’s also speaking their language,” Arnone said.
The other priority in the budget is mental health, which Arnone said falls in line with what’s happening across the province.
“If children are not healthy, it’s difficult for them to learn,” she said.
“We’ve made sure all of our schools have the social workers still in place. There is a huge strategy being developed with regards to children’s mental health,” Arnone said.
The budget process began in March and the school board received nine submissions from stakeholder groups that included the Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee, Parent Involvement Committee and the Special Education Advisory Committee.
Highlights of the 2013-2014 Budget include:
• The commitment to reduce the impact of budget constraints on schools;
• Expanding Full Day Kindergarten in all schools;
• A significant infusion for Information Technology;
• Continued support for training for integrating technology in classrooms;
• Further implementation of a Mental Health and Addictions strategy;
• Continued support for Tutors in a Cultural Environment;
• Continued support for the French as a Second Language resource teacher and Kindergarten resource teacher;
• Continued support for the positions of Aboriginal Community Liaison & Partnership Officer and Aboriginal Resource Teacher;
• Continued support of Native Language programs in three elementary schools and all secondary schools;
• The commitment to maintain Social Workers in schools
The budget will be submitted to the Ministry of Education for final approval.
