Some more funding is working its way to local school board coffers to help get kids back in class, but how it will specifically be spent is still being determined.
On Monday, the provincial ministry of education announced they would be providing $381 million more in provincial funding to aid in the safe reopening of schools Ontario-wide. On Wednesday night, Simcoe County District School Board trustees were informed during their business and facilities standing committee meeting that about $4.9 million of that announcement would be coming to the public board.
“It caught us a bit by surprise. We’re always happy to get money but I can assure you, (between) my colleagues, this announcement has generated three full pages of questions for the ministry,” Brian Jeffs, superintendent of business and facility service, told trustees during their meeting.
“While we have the money, we are interested in what the timelines are when we’ll be able to use some of this funding,” he said.
So far, the school board has been told $1.1 million of the funding will go toward further improvement of air quality in schools. About $1.7 million will go toward for health and safety measures. About $100,000 will be spent on student transportation, and $2 million will go toward funding new devices.
Jeffs said the memo sent to the school board this week didn’t come with the same sorts of details as previous announcements.
“We have reached out to the ministry seeking clarification,” said Jeffs. “It’s great news.”
