Trustees with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board have given their budget for the next school year final approval, with a $5.3-million deficit.
The deficit total was first presented to trustees two weeks ago, but after two weeks of consultation, it hasn't changed.
The board blames a court ruling back in April on post-retirement benefits, but chair Barb Holland says it won't affect programming.
"There are ways to streamline," she says. "There are ways to find efficiencies, but we will not budge on student programming."
She's reassuring parents and teachers the board will go ahead with its specialty programs, including new ones at Cardinal Carter Catholic High School and F.J. Brennan High School.
She says the board is working with Ministry of Education officials.
"The ministry has a vested interest in making sure the kids in Windsor-Essex do well, as do we," she says. "We're very proud of the collaborative efforts we've had working with the ministry."
The board's $18-million reserve will cover the cost of the deficit, and Holland says they'll continue to look for savings.
"We will look at our budget, through a magnifying glass -- and now we will have an opportunity to look forward and to say okay, now that we know what we know, here's how we will handle that," she says.
The board's total operating budget is worth $251.6-million; its capital budget, $11.5-million.