Budget woes worry school board

HUMBOLDT — Budget worries again overshadowed academic achievement at the USD 258 board meeting Monday.
Superintendent of Schools Bob Heigele said state budget predictions foretell another reduction in base per pupil state aid. Heigele said Kansas State Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Dale Dennis said in a series of memos that the district would receive only half its apportioned state aid, due to schools Nov. 1. “We’ve only received half of that,” Heigele noted.
Another memo said that, statewide, because of increased school enrollment, increased number of students receiving free and reduced price lunches and a decline in assessed taxation valuation, the state needs another $1 billion to fund state aid to schools. Without the money, Heigele said, base aid could drop from $4,218 to $4,068. At the beginning of the school year, Heigele estimated the district stood to gain $88,000 due to increased enrollment figures. Now, he said, schools may face a 3.6 percent decrease in funding if base aid is adjusted as proposed.
If state funds decline further, as some predict, the “state will probably reduce state aid another $200” per pupil, Heigele warned board members. “We could look at a $188,000 hit this year” in the district budget, he said.
“I can’t come up with that kind of money without considering a lot of significant cuts,” Heigele said.
Still, he told the board he did not think the district should, as yet, join a possible lawsuit by Schools for Fair Funding, the group responsible for raising legislative aid to schools through legal action in 1994. Joining the lobbying effort would cost $2 per pupil, he said. But, he noted, “the cost (of involvement in the suit) will go up depending on how long the lawsuit goes on.” Schools for Fair Funding is fighting to restore base aid to the Sept. 2008 rate of $4,488.
“At this point, I’m not recommending we get involved in this,” Heigele said. “I think if it comes about it will cause more ill feeling s between the legislature and school officials. When the legislature is back in session, I believe they will do the best they can for the schools. Right now, every agency in this state is suffering.”

HUMBOLDT Elementary School is sitting better, financially, than the rest of the district.
The school has been awarded a $28,168 Small, Rural School Achievement Program (REAP) grant. *note: comma is in official name* The grants, designed help schools meet annual yearly progress, can be used to purchase reading and mathematics supplies, technology and curriculum at the elementary level, said Kay Bolt, elementary principal.
In addition, Bolt said, “we’re looking into buying some playground equipment” for the northwest portion of the school yard to equalize use of the space. “We have money for it,” she said.
Humboldt schools administered 125 doses of the H1N1 vaccine to students Monday. The high school had about three weeks with greater than 5 percent absenteeism due to sickness, said High School Principal K.B. Criss. The elementary had “been pretty good up until today,” Bolt said. Monday saw 24 students out due to fever and coughs, she said.
The district received official notice from the KSDE that Humboldt Elementary had met the standard of excellence for fourth and fifth grade reading, third and fifth grade math and building-wide for reading and math. The middle school met the standard of excellence building-wide, seventh and eight grades for reading and math, and the high school building-wide for reading and math. In addition, the high school met 100 percent proficiency in science. AYP is judged on reading and math, Criss noted.

IN OTHER business, the board discussed a technology audit of all the schools’ equipment and wiring and creating a schematic of the current technology system. Heigele is also applying for a $125,000 tech rich grant.
“If we get it, it would probably allow us to make all our middle school classrooms tech rich,” he said. Criss noted the grant would cover four middle school classes. The grant requires a $50,000 match from the school district. “You have that in your capital outlay” fund, Heigele told the board.
Staci Hudlin resigned as high school volley ball coach; Stephanie Middleton Splechter was hired to replace her.
John Johnson was hired as assistant middle school girls basketball coach and Amy Welch as assistant girls high school basketball coach.
Craig Smith was hired as high school principal on a two year contract beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year.
School records of canceled checks, purchase orders, employee applications and the like from 2003-2004 were approved for destruction. Records are routinely destroyed after five years, Heigele said.