School District #82 serves the area between Prince Rupert and Prince George, including Terrace and Kitimat.
2011 News
CUPE News: Parents and staff say no to cuts for the most vulnerable
June 22, 2011
TERRACE—CUPE 2052 joined parents, teachers and other concerned citizens to call on the Board of Education to rethink unfair budget cuts that hit classrooms and students.
Wilma Maier, president of CUPE 2052 representing support staff in the Coast Mountain School District, was at the meeting to send a strong message.
“We know that the provincial government is underfunding education. But the trustees will make a bad situation worse with their proposal to cut classroom services for the neediest children in the district, while at the same time putting money into higher management salaries and more management staff at the board office,” said Maier.
The June 22 meeting is the third and final meeting at which trustees have heard many concerns from staff and the community.
The district’s provincial revenue for 2011/12 has flat lined. The overall district budget is $51.4 million, about $17,000 or .03 per cent less than the previous year. Student numbers are set to decline by less than one per cent in 2011/12 – at a much slower rate than in past years.
On the expense side, the proposed board budget will would increase funding for principals, vice-principals and other professionals, while all other staff areas, especially Education Assistants who work with special needs students, will see deep cuts. The budget proposes cuts of more than 18 per cent of Education Assistants. Read more
Terrace Standard: School board debates budget
June 13, 2011
Janine Workman, Terrace Standard
THE SCHOOL district shouldn’t be hiring administrators at a time when it is cutting spending on students, one of its trustees said June 8.
Tanis Kilpatrick, who voted against accepting the school district’s preliminary budget, said the spending plan to hire two administrators to work in the board office will result in significant reductions to student educational services.
The preliminary budget estimates the total operating costs for the district to be $53,160,050 for the 2011/2012 fiscal year. This is down from last year’s expenses, which came in at $54,141,320 – and was supplemented by $1.5 million using prior year reserves. Read more
2010 News
Terrace Standard: Schools face budget dilemma
June 29, 2010
THE SCHOOL district has to put a huge chunk of money into services for its high population of students with special educational needs because the province isn’t shelling out enough, says senior district officials.
The government provides approximately $4 million for special education but the district then doubles that amount, taking money that could be used elsewhere. Read more
Terrace Standard: More school closures possible
May 12, 2010
NEXT MONTH school trustees will decide if Kitimat schools should join Terrace schools on the potential chopping block.
In June trustees will vote whether of not to put two schools in Kitimat up for possible closure along with three school reconfigurations as part of a massive restructuring of the area’s educational system.
Also part of the potential changes is the closure of Thornhill Junior and other reconfigurations in Terrace. Read more
Kitimat Northern Sentinel: No school closures in Kitimat: board
February 17, 2010
Marcel Vander Wier – Kitimat Northern Sentinel
All Kitimat schools will remain open next year.
The Coast Mountains school board made the assuring announcement last week to quell the speculation around potential closure.
“After the board made a decision that no schools would close in Kitimat for this coming September, we felt it was important to get it out to the whole community,” said board chairman Barry Pankhurst. Read more
