Posted: 11/23/04
Superintendent recommends $373,000 worth of budget cuts
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
ISD#299 Superintendent Michael Moriarty presented the school board with a plan to cut $373,000 from next yearís budget.
His recommendations are based on declining enrollment. Itís important to keep staffing in line with student numbers, he told board members at the meeting in the high school media center.
Enrollment for grades K-12 is projected to be 892 for 2005, 860 in 2006, and 824 in 2006.
State aid increases are likely to be small, if there are any at all, Moriarty said.
Itís possible the state could vote to fund all-day, every-day kindergarten, Moriarty said, but the board should not count on it, Moriarty cautioned. ìWeíre in too big of a hole.î The state currently funds kindergarten students at .55.
The first-year superintendent said he expects some public reaction to the proposals, and the board should hear that.
ìWe will vote on it in December,î board chairman Dave Klinski said.
Here is a summary of Moriartyís plan and the estimated savings:
ï Move Title I program into regular school day. Only about half the eligible students are taking part in Title programs. The after-school Title program is a good concept, but doesnít work in a rural setting, Moriarty said. Savings: $15,000.
ï Reduce two sections in the elementary school. The entire elementary school will have two sections in each grade, with class sizes in the low twenties, except for the fifth grade, which will have 30 students per class. A large influx of fifth graders might mean the district would have to hire another fifth grade teacher, Moriarty said. Savings: $82,000.
ï Reduce one middle school teacher. This would be possible because the 53 students in this yearís fifth grade class would be moved to the middle school in two sections instead of three. Savings: $41,000.
ï Reduce one support staff in each building. Savings: $24,000.
ï Reduce one teacher in business education department. Savings: $64,000.
ï Reassign administration of Title programs to elementary principal, and district wide testing to middle school principal. This will mean a reduction in community education directorís duties. Savings: $17,000.
ï Reduce spending on things like capital items, supplies, and extracurricular by 5-10 percent. Savings: $90,000.
ï Two anticipated retirements. If these do not occur, it may be necessary to go back to every-other-day kindergarten, but Moriarty said he would like to keep all-day kindergarten because it is the most efficient use of money. Savings: $40,000.
Board member Barb Hurley said she was impressed that the budget reductions could be made without cutting any programs.
Good attendance
In other business, high school principal Ron Helmers gave board members an attendance report. It broke down excused and unexcused attendance for each grade, for both boys and girls. Overall, grades 6-12 had 97.07 percent attendance. (Absences for this figure are both excused and unexcused.)
ìWe need to celebrate,î Helmers said of the numbers.
The best class was the freshmen boys, with 98.35 percent attendance. The worst was senior boys, who were at 95.05 percent, including 22.5 unexcused absences.
ìMost of those issues are resolved,î he said. ìI had some kids pretty well out of control.î
He said his approach is to work with parents and students, find out the reasons they skip, and try to resolve the conflicts.
ìAttendance issues can eat you alive,î Helmers said. Poor school attendance can lead to poor relations with the community and the court system, he added.
Board member Chuck Schulte said he appreciated Helmers work on this matter. He suggested putting the boardsí appreciation on the school television monitors for students to see.
Helmers also briefly discussed a crisis management action plan that he has been formulating with school staff. He said he will have it ready for board approval at the next meeting, which is December 20 in the elementary school lunchroom.
More karate class discussion
The board discussed Bruce Strongís karate classes with community education director Nancy Runnigen and Moriarty.
Management of the karate class came up at the October 18 school board meeting. Some board members had concerns about the class not being run through community education like other community education classes.
Runnigen explained last week that community education had collected all the karate class fees when it first began about five years go. But it was a challenge to see who comes and goes and monitor it, she said, so Bruce Strong collected student fees and paid the school an hourly amount. The La Crescent-Hokah community education does the same thing.
Moriarty said that the school districtís liability would be covered if it were run through community education, rather than having Strong renting space.
ìWe donít want to see the program leave,î Moriarty said, a statement that was echoed by two board members. Runnigen said she had received calls in support of the program following a Caledonia Argus article about it.
Moriarty and Runnigen have a meeting set up with Strong for November 23.
New administrative contracts
The board voted 5-1 to approve two-year administrative contracts. Schulte voted no.
The three principals will each receive a two percent raise for 2004-2005 and again in 2005-2006.
They also have full family insurance coverage with a $500 deductible. This is valued at $22,266.
Elementary principal Connie Hesse will receive $72,079 this year and $73,520 next year, excluding benefits.
Middle school principal Brian Doty will receive $73,440 this year and $74,909 next year, excluding benefits.
High school principal Ron Helmers will receive $79,000 this year and $80,580 next year, excluding benefits.
The board also approved:
ï a contract for David Genadek as assistant gymnastics coach for this year at $1,483;
ï a Houston County Family Services contract for nurse Carrie Ott for $13,190.
Board members recessed last weekís meeting so that they could attend the middle/high school jazz band and jazz choir concert.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com