School District 72 has approved the purchase of $50,000 worth of new classroom furniture.
“Through the years of declining enrolment, we’ve had a very resourceful maintenance staff that have been able to basically use parts and pieces to keep our classroom furniture inventory going,” Kevin Patrick, secretary treasurer of the school district told the board last week. “We are at the end of that. The cupboards are bare. The impact is showing in classrooms in terms of the condition of the furniture that’s being maintained.”
Patrick told the board they have a small amount set aside for this purpose, but because of the years of not having those funds available and relying on staff to just piece things back together as best they could, “it’s not enough to have a meaningful impact.”
He says the amount of money in the budget for furniture would be just enough to maintain it but it has deteriorated too much. Once they replace the furniture, the previously budgeted amount will be enough to maintain it.