By Melanie Williamson
At the Monday, April 15, board of education meeting, Treasurer Justin Klingshirn provided those in attendance with a four-page overview of district finances.
In this report, it is stated that the recently passed five-year additional tax levy for safety and security will produce $301,594 annually, which is restricted to only being used for “contracting services for school resource officers (SRO), providing mental health services and counseling, providing training in safety and security practices and responses, and providing for permanent improvements to provide or enhance security.”
In looking at the district operations from 2013 to 2018, it is shown that the district ended positive in five of the six years with fiscal year 2015 being the only year ending in the negative. It is pointed out that the increase in revenue is a direct correlation to the increase in open enrollment.
The district has actively worked to reduce expenses and increase revenue through a wide range of activities including corporate partnerships, open enrollment, increased services for students, and streamlined operations. The majority of district expenses goes to salary and benefits. According to the report, 49% of the total district budget goes to salaries and19.5% goes to benefits.
There are currently 1,847 students in grades kindergarten through 12 attending one of the three schools within the district. The district preschool, which is not included in that number was moved into the elementary school last year in order to further consolidate the district as a whole.
According to the report, the district currently has a positive financial outlook. The administration and board of education continues to look at ways to improve services in a fiscally responsible way, and ways to cut expenses without directly impacting the students’ educational opportunities.
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