b"LARS S T NThe 2021-2022 budget was approved by the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) Board ofTrustees on March 9, 2021. The goal was to achieve a balanced budget while maintaining manageable class sizes and protecting core investments. Some ofthose core investments include teachers and educational assistants, student and clinical services, investments to increase equity and inclusion and an ongoing ability to navigate the pandemic.D N A E CWhen pandemic expenses were coupled with an $8 million teacher salary arbitration award, the only way to protect core investments was to use every dollar in the divisions accumulated surplus, a first in the divisions history.L O DWithout government's support for the arbitration award and covering the full cost of the pandemic, the International Student Program revenue had to be used to make up the shortfall rather than funding summer learning opportunities, nutrition programs and other equity-based programming in the same way it had in past years.The LRSD Senior Leadership Team and Board had extensive deliberations about our budget and have exhausted every option in trying to find a solution to the financial pressures we now face, said Christian Michalik, Superintendent. The conclusion is that we cant do it alone. We need government support to help rebuild our accumulated surplus or risk a precarious future financial situation. We will continue these important conversations into the 2021-2022 school year.12"