The Garden Valley School Division (GVSD) invites the public to an important budget meeting March 11th at 6 PM, where trustees will unveil the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 school year.
“We would love to see the public out,” says GVSD Chair Leah Klassen. “We’re unveiling our budget, and we’d be excited to have people take a look at it and, of course, ask questions afterward.”
Despite the significance of the budget—estimated between $55 million and $60 million—Klassen notes that attendance at these meetings is often lower than expected. “It’s curious to me because when you’re announcing that amount of spending, I would think there would be more interest in why and how we’re spending that money.”
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Understanding where tax dollars go
Superintendent Dan Ward emphasizes the importance of community involvement in the budget process.
“Education in our community is one of the biggest areas of public investment,” Ward shares. “With a budget hovering around $60 million, a portion comes from provincial funding, but a significant amount comes from municipal taxation. As a homeowner in Winkler myself, I think it’s important to understand where those dollars are going because it really is about the future of our community.”
Beyond the numbers: Investing in students
While budget discussions often focus on dollars and cents, Klassen highlights that it’s ultimately about supporting students.
“This is about investing in our kids’ lives,” she says. “We want to ensure they get the best education possible so they can go into the world as productive citizens, no matter which path they choose.”
GVSD has already engaged with parents, students, and teachers ahead of the budget release. “We did consultations with Parent Advisory Councils, connected with students in schools, and asked where they felt school dollars should go,” Klassen explains.
Budget highlights & financial challenges
Although specific details of the budget will be revealed at the meeting, Klassen confirms that GVSD has received an additional $730,000 in funding from the provincial government.
“To put that into context, $51,000 of that is for nutritional funding, which is fantastic,” she notes. “Ensuring kids receive the nutrition they need helps them learn better in classrooms.”
However, Klassen also points out that the division faces significant financial challenges. “If we take last year’s budget and bring it forward to next year—factoring in inflation and staffing increases—without adding any new spending, our expenses rise by an additional $3 million.”
Ward adds that staffing costs are a major driver of these increases. “About 84% of our expenses are personnel-driven,” he explains. “With the new provincial agreement ensuring all teachers across Manitoba receive the same pay, our costs are increasing. That’s completely out of our control, but it’s a major factor in this year’s budget conversation.”
An open invitation
Klassen and Ward encourage the public to attend tonight’s meeting to ask questions and learn more.
“There will be snacks,” Klassen teases. “Come out, have some coffee, and let’s talk about the millions of dollars we’re investing into kids’ lives.”
The budget meeting takes place tonight, March 11th, at 6:00 PM at the Garden Valley School Division office.