Staff writer
At its Monday meeting, the board of education of Centre USD 397 accepted the resignation of vocational agriculture teacher Cary Granzow, effective at the end of the school year.
The board thanked him for 32 years of dedicated service to the district.
The board approved publishing a notice of amendments to the 2010-11 budget with increases in the general fund and the virtual education fund. No additional mill levies will be assessed.
The increases in spending authority are a result of enrollment numbers that were higher than estimated at the time the original budget was published in July.
A public hearing on the amendments will be at the beginning of the March 14 meeting.
Superintendent Jerri Kemble reported that the district still has a seven-hour cushion in its 2010-11 school year hours before snow days will be required to make up for school cancellations.
The board voted to refinance its 1998 General Obligation Bond issue of $945,000 for the vo-ag/music additions. The $525,000 remaining will be refinanced at 2.71 percent average interest. The original interest was 5.01 percent. The refinancing will save the district $34,807 in interest during the life of the bond, which is scheduled for payout in 2019.
The board reviewed a report showing the effects of the Governor’s proposed budget cuts for this fiscal year and the following fiscal year. He has proposed a cut of $75 per (FTE) student in 2010-11 and $157 per student in 2011-12. If the cuts were enacted as proposed, the district would lose a total of $146,000 in funding over two years.
The contingency reserve fund totals $181,968.
The board adopted three goals for the district: to pursue an aligned curriculum, to provide a safe and secure learning environment under one roof, and to provide facilities that meet the needs of teachers, students, and the community.
In a State of the District report, Kemble noted that Centre has already accomplished the goal of a smooth transition to one site. A recent improvement was the installation of a new wireless system.
Kemble’s report indicated a reduction in certified staff in the past five years from 30 to 23.8. Classified staff has been reduced from 15.6 to 14.4.
“We have seen a huge growth in utilizing technology by teachers,” Kemble said.
Marion County Special Education Cooperative Director David Shepherd met briefly with the board to make their acquaintance. He handed out a State of the Cooperative report.
Referencing the Early Childhood Intervention, Parents as Teachers, and FACT programs in Marion County, he said the county has a unique special education co-op because it serves individuals from birth to 21 years.
“Marion County has many support systems working together to identify at an early age children who need help,” he said. “I hadn’t seen that before.”
MCSEC employs a classified staff of nine and 47 certified teachers.
Lori SooHoo, director of Parents as Teachers, gave her annual report. Nine families and 12 children in the Centre school district are served by PAT. Two families are on the waiting list.
SooHoo said children enrolled in the program are better prepared when they enter the school system.
School districts in Marion County each contributed $3,012 to the program for this fiscal year, with matching funds from the state. Grants are utilized as much as possible to lower the cost to the districts, SooHoo said. She is hoping state funding will not be cut.
The board conducted executive sessions to evaluate the superintendent’s performance and to discuss a student matter and personnel.
Computer training
Prior to the business meeting, the board spent more than an hour learning how to use laptop computers. They also became acquainted with the IPod. The board is attempting to go paperless to save money.