The St. Clair Catholic District School Board has approved a balanced budget exceeding $141 million for the 2024-2025 school year, emphasizing its commitment to high-quality education and essential student support.

“Our focus on student achievement remains steadfast, guided by the Board’s Strategic and Student Achievement Plans,” said Scott Johnson, Director of Education, underscoring the Board’s dedication to excellence.

The budget increase primarily stems from provincially negotiated settlements with various employee groups. As the Board advances, several key initiatives will continue to be prioritized:

• Mental Health Support: Enhancements in mental health services will follow the mental health and addictions strategy, informed by School Climate Survey results and guidance from School Mental Health Ontario.
• Student Engagement: The Equity Action Plan, Indigenous Education Action Plan, and Special Education Plan will drive student engagement, with additional support for multilingual learners.
• Curriculum Enhancements: The budget will fund the implementation of a revised curriculum, including “Reading Success for All,” and introduce new resources in the “Growing in Faith – Growing in Christ” program.
• Literacy and Numeracy: Strengthening literacy and numeracy support for Grades 7 to 12 remains a top priority.
• Student Success: The board will continue to assist every student towards graduation and engage secondary students in experiential learning and pathways planning.
• Technology Access: Every student and classroom educator will benefit from access to board-owned devices and robust broadband connections.

Amy Janssens, Associate Director – Corporate Services & Treasurer, highlighted the impact of the budget: “It empowers the board to sustain vital programs that directly enhance student learning and well-being.”

The budget for 2024-2025 aligns with all Ministry of Education accountability and reporting requirements and will now be submitted to the Ministry for final review.