As schools close for the summer, the Saskatoon Public School Board is looking towards the future, funding more programs designed to address behavioural and safety concerns.
The school board’s 2025-26 budget, which was approved this month, includes the expansion of the new school connections program receiving $0.11 million.
SPS said the program is there to support students who are “temporarily unable to participate in a traditional school setting due to safety concerns.”
$2.925 million is also going towards nine specialized support classrooms.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
These include developmental learning, stabilization behavioural support, mental health, transitional support and reintegration and behaviour support classrooms.
Eight will be new, with one previously established.
This comes on the heels of the September fire attack at Evan Hardy Collegiate, in which a 14-year-old girl allegedly lit a 15-year-old girl on fire in the hallway.
The teen, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is facing several charges including attempted murder and unlawfully causing bodily harm.
Her trial was set for July at Kings Bench with a preliminary hearing in provincial court.
However, a direct indictment was approved, with no new dates set. The Crown intends to seek an adult sentence.
The 14-year-old is also facing charges of assault and uttering threats related to an incident while in custody.
In provincial court Thursday, the defence requested an adjournment, saying the teen is undergoing a private psychiatrist assessment.
The accused is scheduled to return to court on July 24th.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
