Superintendent Beth Schwarz once again asked the School District 166 school board for direction as she puts together the budget for fiscal year 2016. Schwarz said the budget must be adopted at the June 20, 2015 board meeting.
At the Thursday, May 7 meeting, Schwarz provided a spreadsheet with potential budget cuts that would result in a potential deficit of $35,000 for fiscal year 2016.
Schwarz said she is hoping for good news from the state legislature that could change the financial picture. She recommended adopting the budget with the deficit, knowing that it could mean a reduction in the school’s fund balance.
The board said it was reluctant to approve a deficit budget and asked if further cuts could be made. Schwarz said she and Finance Specialist Lori Backlund had closely looked at the budget, “utilities, postage, everything” and they felt they had made all the changes they could without impacting students.
Board Member Terry Collins noted the proposed $15,000 – $20,000 reduction in athletic programs and asked if there had been recent analysis of athletic programs. “Are there expensive sports that we’re hanging onto that could be replaced with another sport that would provide similar physical activity?” he asked
Collins noted that football is expensive, but quickly added, “I don’t mean to pick on football. I played football and I enjoyed it.”
Schwarz said that is a difficult discussion because of some of the school’s traditions. “That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look at it,” she said, adding the number one cost for sports is transportation. She said she could ask Athletic Director Pam Taylor if she had any ideas for possible savings in sports programs.
Schwarz again asked the board for direction. “Do you want me to come back with a recommendation to grow the fund balance? Is the goal to have a break even budget?”
Board Member Sissy Lunde said, “It has to be break-even. I don’t want to hear that we can’t offer the students something, but we have to be responsible.”
Board Chair Jeanne Anderson said she wants to see a balanced budget projection, adding, “We can’t cut anything in the classroom until we cut absolutely everything else we can. If that means sports, we have to. We’re a school.”
Schwarz said she would bring back information on a “break even budget.”
Community service before graduation?
As part of his report, Principal Adam Nelson told the school board he was toying with the idea of adding community service as a graduation requirement. For example, Nelson said, for a student to graduate, he or she must complete 20 hours of community service—five hours per year. “Is this something the school board would like to pursue?” Nelson asked.
The board asked questions about how the community service would be recorded and agreed it could be a good thing, but Board Member Terry Collins asked if this could become an obstacle to graduation.
It was noted that the community service could be incorporated in school curriculum, for example, Board Member Sissy Lunde said middle school students currently volunteer with Cook County Soil & Water by cleaning out rain gardens as part of the science curriculum.
The board discussed the pros and cons of the idea, but no action was taken.
Bus garage bid letting postponed
When it came time to decide whether or not to let bids for construction of a new garage to house the district’s school buses, Lunde asked where the funds were coming from. Superintendent Schwarz said funds were earmarked from the capital fund (for buildings) and the general fund.
Lunde said she questioned whether it was wise to seek bids for the project with its “ballpark” cost of $225,000. She noted that the industrial arts expansion was being paid for with funds from the sale of the west end of the building for the YMCA and from Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) funds and the parking lot improvements were funded through abatement bonds. She questioned whether the school should use any of its general fund for another project.
Collins asked about the condition of the bus garage and Schwarz said the back wall “kind of caved in” and is being held together by 2x4s. She said the doors don’t close properly, so the buses are exposed to extreme weather. “The $90,000 buses are basically in a carport,” she said.
Lunde said, “I know we need to do this, but is this the year to do it? We’re going to be asking for levy money this fall.”
Schwarz said the district could hold off letting the bids, in hopes that the legislature ups the school’s deferred maintenance funding, which could be used for the garage. The board agreed to postpone the decision on letting bids until the next meeting.
In other business
. Principal Adam Nelson reported that he had completed 49 of the teacher observations he had been tasked with. He said he has one more to go.
. Principal Nelson said he and Grand Portage Education Director Maria Burnett had attended the 2015 National Forum on Dropout Prevention for Native and Tribal Communities. He said they heard a lot of ideas to bring back to teachers to work to increase student success.
. The board asked Principal Nelson to bring information on the dropout rate for the Class of 2015 to the June school board meeting.
. The board approved an agreement with Ruby’s Pantry, which includes payment for use of the school facilities similar to fees charged for other organizations using the school. The agreement calls for 5 percent of proceeds from Ruby’s Pantry distributions to be paid to the school.
. Superintendent Schwarz told the board that its chair, Jeanne Anderson, had been elected board chair for the North Shore Collaborative.
. In personnel matters, the board approved two maternity leave requests for teacher Andrea Hofeldt and Student Success Coordinator Anna Sandstrom. They accepted the resignation of paraprofessional Justine Roberts, with appreciation for her service. They also accepted the resignation of former coach and current school bus driver Lyle Anderson, with appreciation for his years of service. One new staff member was hired, Diane Greeley, who will work as a paraprofessional in Grand Portage at a wage of $14.21. The motion to hire Greeley also gave approval of use of a school car to and from Grand Portage.
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