Special adviser Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland delivers her report about the Vancouver School Board's financial performance to the provincial government Thursday.

Education minister Margaret MacDiarmid appointed Wenezenki-Yolland to look into the district's finances in April after the VSB complained about having to cut millions from its budget. The VSB put off passing its final budget, which could involve $16.33 million in cuts, until the results of the provincial review are known.

It's unclear if the school board will be given advance notice of Wenezenki-Yolland's findings before they're released to the public. Board chair Patti Bacchus told me the VSB was notified last week the adviser's report might be delayed and the minister might make an announcement about the delay, but she didn't hear anything further from official sources.

Bacchus learned through a weekend newspaper article that the report would be delivered to the government June 3. She hasn't been told when the VSB will be advised about its content, although the board asked for a copy as soon as it's available.

"The communication or lack thereof is, in my view, incredibly disrespectful to the VSB, its employees, its students and their families," Bacchus said in an email to the Courier. "The appointment interrupted a very difficult budget process and has left the district in a state of uncertainty and anxiety as we await the report so we can get on with the budget."

The ministry's public affairs bureau says the minister will make the report public in a "timely manner."

MAKING MONEY

Fundraising. It's a word that likely strikes fear in parents across the school district. No one wants to do it but it's nearly impossible to avoid. The need has increased with school board budgets cuts, so it's not surprising some schools and businesses team up to fundraise.

This past weekend Brown Bros. Ford hosted "Drive One 4 UR School," which saw the company and Ford of Canada donate $20 for each person who test-drove a vehicle to Point Grey secondary school.

The event raised $950 for the high school, which was no doubt welcomed.

The benefits of such relationships are obvious--it's good public relations for businesses to help students and it generates publicity for companies, while it draws attention to the school board's funding woes and gives schools money that doesn't require parents to ask friends and family members to buy yet another raffle ticket or sponsor another student project.

But such deals aren't without drawbacks. Critics argue the more schools rely on fundraising, the less pressure the provincial government faces to cover education-related costs.

It's a thorny issue, acknowledges Julianne Doctor, chair of the District Parent Advisory Committee. She said schools have been partnering with community businesses for quite some time--some through grocery receipt programs with companies such as Super Foods on Commercial Drive or by book donations through Starbucks.

"On one hand, it does help to build community between the school and local businesses, and it does help support the extras," Doctor told me in an email. "To use it to raise the bigger bucks... to let the government off the hook, that's where I have a problem."

Let me know your thoughts about school fundraising.

noconnor@vancourier.com