In a discussion-only agenda item, Dr. Randy Watson, superintendent, provided information regarding the district’s financial concerns to the Unified School District 418 Board of Education members at Monday’s meeting
Watson described the proposed cuts in the budget presented by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. The cuts include a reduction of $22 for each full-time equivalency student for the current school year, which would reduce the current budget by approximately $60,000. Coupled with that is a projected loss in the local option budget of $18,000. Under the governor’s plan, this year’s budget shortfall is predicted to be $78,000.
The second part of the governor’s proposal would reduce state aid per FTE by an additional $66 in the 2009-10 school year for a loss of $180,000 and, with it, a $113,000 reduction in the LOB. The governor trimmed all professional development money -- $80,000. The district will lose Special Education funding estimated from $30,000 to $90,000. Complicating the fiscal picture is the continuing decline in enrollment, which is expected to cost the district $196,000 under this proposed budget. The cost of health insurance also is expected to increase at least 10 percent or $238,000.
“As Bob (Tolle, board president) mentioned that’s a million dollars over two years that we need to make up,” Watson said. He described the governor’s proposal, which would cut $1 million from the general and supplemental general funds, as the best case scenario.
Chris Ruder, director of business for the district, presented information about the proposed budget cuts approved Monday by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. While details from Topeka were sketchy, Ruder said he simply used the 3.4 percent across-the-board figure. Applied to the current $14.5 million in general funds, the reduction would be $410,000. The 3.4 percent reduction of Special Education funding would amount to $84,575. In this worst case scenario, the loss in LOB funding would be $148,000. Should the legislators approve the budget cuts proposed in committee, the cost to the district for this school year would be more than $640,000.
“Multiply this times 295 school districts, and this is catastrophic,” Watson said. “And they haven’t talked about next year. If they do another 3 or 4 percent, this number grows larger.”
The superintendent told board members that this will have a major impact on education because districts spend the most money on teachers, paraeducators, and aides to work with students.
The future of this bill is unknown; it passed from committee on an 8-5 vote and would need to be approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives before moving to a conference committee. According to Watson, the governor may veto the bill if it is passed.
“I wanted to share with you that instead of $22 per student, they’re talking $117.50 per student this year,” Watson said. “We continue to have what we call a spending freeze. That truly doesn’t mean we’re not spending any money; you’re obviously going to have paper and supplies that people need. But we are scrutinizing every single expenditure to see that we need it.”
In other business:
•Board Retreat and Goals- Watson presented a document with the Board of Education goals for 2009-11. Three goals were generated during board retreats held earlier in the school year. The board’s goals for the district are: (1) We will engage parents and the community in serious discussions about the education of our children; (2) We will provide staff the training, knowledge, skills and resources necessary to assist children to grow to their fullest potential; and (3) We will work to hire and retain the best people to serve our students. Each of the goals included action statements. The superintendent suggested that board members review the wording of the document so that it can be approved at a later date.
•Administrators’ and Directors’ Contracts- Board members approved a one-year extension of administrators’ and directors’ contracts for 2009-10, with the salaries to be determined at a later date. A document attached to the agenda listed the following personnel as “Administrators/Directors 2009-10”: Sheldon Anderson, director of operations; Todd Beam, Roosevelt Elementary School principal; Shane Backhus, McPherson High School assistant principal; Larry Chaney, technology; Patrick Crowdis, McPherson Middle School assistant principal; Bill Froese, director of food services and transportation; Sue Hosey, Washington Elementary School principal, Karl Ivers, technology; Jana Koehn, principal; Craig Marshall, Eisenhower Elementary School principal; Angie McDonald, director of instruction; Gordon Mohn, director of special education; Kent Nye, MHS assistant principal; Chris Ruder, director of business; Evan Stout, energy education; and Randy Watson, superintendent. Three other positions – Early Childhood Center director, MMS principal and MHS principal – were included, but no personnel were listed for them as those positions were vacant at the time the board met.
•Superintendent’s Contract- The board extended the superintendent’s contract for an additional year with the salary to be determined at a later date.
•Personnel- Board members took the following action on personnel matters. A contract was approved for Cora Sorenson, paraeducator without teaching at Lincoln Elementary School. Resignations were accepted from Robert Hill, transportation monitor, and Heidi Ricke, paraeducator without teaching at LES. Changes in contracts were approved for Virginia Bernhardt, Head Start aide without teaching at Hand in Hand Academy; Chad Brake, MHS; Elizabeth Briggs, paraeducator without teaching at Eisenhower Elementary School; Mike Reith, MHS; and Gladys Ronsse, occupational therapist at EES. Bonnie Russell was hired as a Rule 10 sponsor at MHS. Following an executive session, the board approved the resignation of Staci Horton, music teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School and LES.
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In a discussion-only agenda item, Dr. Randy Watson, superintendent, provided information regarding the district’s financial concerns to the Unified School District 418 Board of Education members at Monday’s meeting
Watson described the proposed cuts in the budget presented by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. The cuts include a reduction of $22 for each full-time equivalency student for the current school year, which would reduce the current budget by approximately $60,000. Coupled with that is a projected loss in the local option budget of $18,000. Under the governor’s plan, this year’s budget shortfall is predicted to be $78,000.
The second part of the governor’s proposal would reduce state aid per FTE by an additional $66 in the 2009-10 school year for a loss of $180,000 and, with it, a $113,000 reduction in the LOB. The governor trimmed all professional development money -- $80,000. The district will lose Special Education funding estimated from $30,000 to $90,000. Complicating the fiscal picture is the continuing decline in enrollment, which is expected to cost the district $196,000 under this proposed budget. The cost of health insurance also is expected to increase at least 10 percent or $238,000.
“As Bob (Tolle, board president) mentioned that’s a million dollars over two years that we need to make up,” Watson said. He described the governor’s proposal, which would cut $1 million from the general and supplemental general funds, as the best case scenario.
Chris Ruder, director of business for the district, presented information about the proposed budget cuts approved Monday by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. While details from Topeka were sketchy, Ruder said he simply used the 3.4 percent across-the-board figure. Applied to the current $14.5 million in general funds, the reduction would be $410,000. The 3.4 percent reduction of Special Education funding would amount to $84,575. In this worst case scenario, the loss in LOB funding would be $148,000. Should the legislators approve the budget cuts proposed in committee, the cost to the district for this school year would be more than $640,000.
“Multiply this times 295 school districts, and this is catastrophic,” Watson said. “And they haven’t talked about next year. If they do another 3 or 4 percent, this number grows larger.”
The superintendent told board members that this will have a major impact on education because districts spend the most money on teachers, paraeducators, and aides to work with students.
The future of this bill is unknown; it passed from committee on an 8-5 vote and would need to be approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives before moving to a conference committee. According to Watson, the governor may veto the bill if it is passed.
“I wanted to share with you that instead of $22 per student, they’re talking $117.50 per student this year,” Watson said. “We continue to have what we call a spending freeze. That truly doesn’t mean we’re not spending any money; you’re obviously going to have paper and supplies that people need. But we are scrutinizing every single expenditure to see that we need it.”
In other business:
•Board Retreat and Goals- Watson presented a document with the Board of Education goals for 2009-11. Three goals were generated during board retreats held earlier in the school year. The board’s goals for the district are: (1) We will engage parents and the community in serious discussions about the education of our children; (2) We will provide staff the training, knowledge, skills and resources necessary to assist children to grow to their fullest potential; and (3) We will work to hire and retain the best people to serve our students. Each of the goals included action statements. The superintendent suggested that board members review the wording of the document so that it can be approved at a later date.
•Administrators’ and Directors’ Contracts- Board members approved a one-year extension of administrators’ and directors’ contracts for 2009-10, with the salaries to be determined at a later date. A document attached to the agenda listed the following personnel as “Administrators/Directors 2009-10”: Sheldon Anderson, director of operations; Todd Beam, Roosevelt Elementary School principal; Shane Backhus, McPherson High School assistant principal; Larry Chaney, technology; Patrick Crowdis, McPherson Middle School assistant principal; Bill Froese, director of food services and transportation; Sue Hosey, Washington Elementary School principal, Karl Ivers, technology; Jana Koehn, principal; Craig Marshall, Eisenhower Elementary School principal; Angie McDonald, director of instruction; Gordon Mohn, director of special education; Kent Nye, MHS assistant principal; Chris Ruder, director of business; Evan Stout, energy education; and Randy Watson, superintendent. Three other positions – Early Childhood Center director, MMS principal and MHS principal – were included, but no personnel were listed for them as those positions were vacant at the time the board met.
•Superintendent’s Contract- The board extended the superintendent’s contract for an additional year with the salary to be determined at a later date.
•Personnel- Board members took the following action on personnel matters. A contract was approved for Cora Sorenson, paraeducator without teaching at Lincoln Elementary School. Resignations were accepted from Robert Hill, transportation monitor, and Heidi Ricke, paraeducator without teaching at LES. Changes in contracts were approved for Virginia Bernhardt, Head Start aide without teaching at Hand in Hand Academy; Chad Brake, MHS; Elizabeth Briggs, paraeducator without teaching at Eisenhower Elementary School; Mike Reith, MHS; and Gladys Ronsse, occupational therapist at EES. Bonnie Russell was hired as a Rule 10 sponsor at MHS. Following an executive session, the board approved the resignation of Staci Horton, music teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School and LES.
