SASKATOON -- The upcoming budget for the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) includes money for more teachers, educational assistants and a study to determine the need for a future high school.
The school division approved its operating and capital budget totalling $206.71 million for 2020-21 – a six per cent increase over last year’s budget.
The budget says enrollment is projected to grow by 674 additional students (3.4 per cent). The budget allocates money for 44 new full time teachers and 14 full time educational assistants.
It includes $1.3 million for detailed design of a new St. Frances Cree Bilingual School and $100,000 to study the future needs of a new high school.
In a news release, the school division says during debate and discussion about the budget, the financial outlook for the upcoming fiscal year was described as stable but unpredictable.
“With the unpredictability of the situation with everything going on in the province, we are doing the best we can with what we know. And we will proceed as if it’s sort of a regular year in some capacities and do the best that we can,” said board Chair Diane Boyko in an interview with CTV.
Boyko mentioned Brighton as a possible location for a new high school in the future.
“We definitely need a new high school. We’ve only got Holy Cross and St. Joseph on the east side of the city.
And in that Brighton area, that just expanding, the partnership that’s hopefully going to exist between our sister division here in Saskatoon as well as the City of Saskatoon is going to be an important part.”
When asked about a timeline on getting a new high school is Brighton, Boyko anticipates it would be at least five years.
