Red Deer Catholic in good spot despite challenging year

There were highs and lows throughout the 2016/17 school year, according to the board chair for Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools.
 
Guy Pelletier says every year has its challenges, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable.
 
“We’re certainly appreciative of the environment we get to operate in as a Catholic school division and provide education to students in Red Deer and central Alberta,” he says. “Budgets have become a challenge going forward, both in this province and across the country, but we’ll continue to do what we can for our students.”
 
Pelletier cites 4.5 per cent student growth as concrete proof people like and want Catholic education.
 
Not completely unrelated, he admits the discussion around merging school systems in Alberta isn’t his favourite, and certainly the controversy at Notre Dame involving a third party video is regrettable.
 
As for the division’s budget, Pelletier explains they continue to intentionally run a deficit. The current deficit is $1.4 million, slightly deeper than last year’s $1.2 million hole.
 
Pelletier says operating with a deficit allows them to run certain programs like the MS2 Model of Student Support which offers mental health support. 
 
“That’s a project we started as a trial about three years ago and have had terrific feedback and results from. We’re committed to continuing that program and funding it internally,” he says. “We don’t get any funding for it specifically from the province, but we feel it’s really important for our students to have that support.”
 
The school division has put in an application for $150,000 over three years in FCSS funding for MS2, but were denied. They are submitting an appeal.
 
Additionally, the board has reappointed Superintendent Paul Mason to another five year term.
 
Pelletier says, “Paul has been serving for, I believe, five years now and doing an excellent job leading the division and its senior staff. It’s really a way to make sure as a division that we secure stability in our senior leadeship role, as well as to acknowledge the great service he provides. He’s well received certainly by the board, as well as by senior admin and across the division.”
 
Looking ahead, there are a number of capital projects set for completion, not the least of which is St. Gregory the Great Catholic School in Blackfalds. Substantial completion was achieved on June 1 and furniture orders have begun to arrive.
 
“We got the keys here for St. Gregory three weeks ago,” he says. “Registrations are going very well — we’ve surpassed our goal for new student registration [at over 300 students].”

In the meantime, the division says it is still trying to organize a meeting with Alberta Education to determine the full scope of work and timelines for the modernization of St. Patrick’s Community School in Red Deer.
 
The board meets again on August 29.