USD 397 board discusses survey results years ago
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
About 15 parents/patrons attended the May 12 meeting of Centre Board of Education. Board member Julie Klenda was absent.
The board spent two hours discussing and taking tentative action on items listed in a survey sent out to patrons regarding the possibility of assessing fees and reducing activities to increase revenue and cut costs.
Of 745 surveys sent, the district received 157 responses (21percent). A summary and related discussion follows.
1) Student textbook rental fees — At least 124 people favored a rental fee, ranging from $5 to $25. The $10 rate garnered 38 votes, followed by 26 for $5. No fee: 26.
2) Student enrollment (supplies) fees — At least 119 voted to support a fee, ranging from $5 to $25. The $10 rate received 38 votes, followed by 37 votes for a $5 fee. No fee: 31.
3) Sports participation fees — At least 114 were in favor of a fee, ranging from $5 to $50 per sport. The $10 rate garnered the most votes, 29. The $5 fee was second at 22 votes. No fee: 29.
4) Drivers' education course fees — At least 55 patrons would support a $50 fee. Another 21 voted for a $100 fee. Others supported a fee as high as $200 per student. No fee: 35.
5) Assess student fee for late activity bus — At least 66 voted for a season fee, ranging from $5 to $50. At least 36 approved a $30 fee, and 13 voted for a $50 fee. No fee: 23.
6) Eliminate late activity bus — An overwhelming 88 people voted yes, and 37 voted no. Eliminating the bus would save the district $7,800.
7) Reduce number of athletic contests — At least 95 people support a cut. About 41 would support a 10 percent cut, and 34 would support a 20 percent cut. No reduction: 45.
8) Assess participation fees for summer activity programs — yes, 95; no, 22.
9) Eliminate summer activity programs — Swimming lessons, 45 yes; summer weight room, 65 yes; summer ball, 54 yes. No elimination: 59.
10) Reduce number of class field trips — At least 64 would support some reduction. 29 voted for a 20 percent cut, 22 for a 10 percent cut. No reduction: 70.
11) Reduce number of ag (FFA) trips — At least 71 voted for a reduction, ranging from 10-50 percent, with a 20 percent cut receiving the most votes (31), followed by 10 percent (26). No reduction: 65.
12) Eliminate costs to district for out-of-state student trips — yes, 98; no, 31.
The three items most strongly supported were: student fees for textbooks and/or supplies (45), sports participation fees (26), and elimination of late bus route (24).
The three items most strongly opposed were reduction in number of FFA trips (20), elimination of summer programs (19), and student fees for textbooks and/or supplies (19).
Respondents were given the opportunity to list any additional items they would support. At least 52 recommended the district discontinue use of a school car by the superintendent for travel to and from home. Another 14 recommended reducing administrative positions, and 12 recommended reducing administration salaries or administrative costs. Many other suggestions were given.
Jeannie Rziha expressed concern about enrollment and textbook fee costs for large families. She said fees should be on items that are electives.
Peggy Kleiber was concerned about what would happen if the district wasn't able to collect from someone. Clerk Peggy Falen said that wasn't a problem when fees were assessed in the past.
"The district doesn't have the same people as when we were growing up," Gerald Rziha responded.
Board member Jennifer Kassebaum expressed opposition to enrollment and textbook fees. "I'm proud of the fact that we don't have fees," she said. "It reflects a strong school district." She also said she was pleased to see that people were willing to pay more.
Carla Hajek noted that people choose how they spend their money. She implied they can find a way to pay fees.
"If you're out for a sport or in a club, pay for what you do," was Kleiber's suggestion.
"For people who don't pay big property taxes, this is how they can support the school," board president Ronnie Carlson said in justification of fees.
Evancho noted that the board has limited ability to increase general fund revenue. About nine percent of the 25 percent local option budget allowable by law remains to be tapped. Evancho said the board chose to tap half of that.
"We don't have to do it depending on what we do to reduce costs and increase revenue," he said.
Board member Steve Jirak questioned why Centre school district is experiencing declining enrollment when a neighboring rural school district, Hope, is remaining steady. He said at least 22 children who live in the district don't attend Centre schools.
Jirak said he believes the budget shortfall can be reached through budget cuts. "We need to look from the top down rather than the bottom up."
People present at the meeting who come from outlying areas of the district were opposed to elimination of the activity bus.
Others noted that, for the number of students it serves, eliminating it would create the biggest savings. It was estimated that, at the most, 15 or 20 students use it during any one sports season.
Board member Leona Hajek suggested that the activity bus route could be kept if there was a large enough fee.
After several motions were made, seconded, and voted upon, often with a split vote, 3-3, Carlson made a motion to table all items and revisit them at the next meeting. Clark Davis seconded the motion and it passed, 4-2.
Board member Leona Hajek reported the visit April 21 of a state accreditation team resulted in a recommendation that Centre schools be fully accredited. She said teachers did a great job working together as a team to show the visitors what is being done to improve the schools.
The board approved use of $5,313.75 from Pepsi Cola plus $4,875.25 from the technology fund to purchase a mobile computer (laptop) lab for use by classrooms in the 5-12 building. The lab includes 10 laptops and a mobile cart.
Superintendent Evancho reported that Bennie and Marie Holtsclaw have donated $80 to the Centre Elementary after-school art program for the purchase of pastel paints.
Personnel
Certified staff employed for the 2003-2004 school year include tenured teachers: Lisa Beye, Nancy Brockmeier, Jean Brunner, Phyllis Burns, Marci Cain, Cary Granzow, Marc Grout, Shirley Gutsch, Russ Hake, Carol Hanschu, Staci Hansen, Kenna Krause, Gail Lorson, Jennifer Montgomery, Tambra Owens, Bud Peterson, Lynley Remy, Kenneth Roe, Peggy Shortridge, Candace Tajchman, Chad Tischhauser, Lacy Wallace, Deb Wiles, Stan Wiles, and Greg Wyatt.
Laura Howard and Tana Riffel are new tenured teachers. Non-tenured teachers Ryan Isbell and Matthew Self each have one year of experience.
2003-2004 supplemental duties are as follows; junior high pep club, Lynley Remy; head/assistant junior class sponsors: Yvonne Burhoop, OPEN; senior high head/assistant pep club/cheerleader sponsors: Lynley Remy, Jamie Peterson; play director, Jennifer Montgomery; vocal music, Lynley Remy; instrumental/vocal music, Kenneth Roe; forensics, Jennifer Montgomery; yearbook, Marc Grout;
Athletic director, Bud Peterson; National Honor Society, Jennifer Montgomery; High Q sponsor/assistant, Chad Tischhauser, Kathy Davis; K-4 head teacher, Shirley Gutsch; 5-12 head teacher, Greg Wyatt;
Varsity head football coach, Bud Peterson, and assistants Stan Wiles and Matthew Self; varsity head boys' basketball coach, Russ Hake, and assistant Marc Grout; varsity head girls' basketball coach, Greg Wyatt, and assistant Phil Peterson; varsity head volleyball coach, Yvonne Burhoop;
Varsity head track coach, Marc Grout, and assistants Stan Wiles and Ryan Isbell; golf, Greg Wyatt; junior high football, boys' basketball, boys' track, Stan Wiles; junior high girls' basketball, volleyball, girls' track, Lisa Beye.
State and federal funds are received by the district to support programs and staff as follows: Title I — K-4, Tana Riffel; General Fund — K-8 mathematics; Title I and REAP — K-6, Carol Hanschu; At-Risk — 5-8 Nancy Brockmeier, 7-12 Peggy Shortridge, 9-12 Greg Wyatt; REAP — K-12 teacher training in technology and select hardware/software.
In other business, the board:
— approved attendance at Centre High School of Irina Yevgeneva Komarnitskaya, foreign exchange student from Uzbekistan, for the 2003-2004 school year. She will be living with Duane and Karen Carlson of Lincolnville.
— accepted resignations of Deb Wiles as junior high school track coach and Laura Howard as cross country coach, effective at the end of the school year.
— authorized participation in FBLA and FFA activities, as listed, for the 2003-2004 school year.
— approved summer work projects including painting the parking lines at CHS and weed control and re-seeding of the CES lawn and playground.
— adopted the 2003-2004 school calendar as presented. It sets Aug. 15 as the first day of classes and May 27 as the last day of school. Vacation times include Thanksgiving break, Nov. 26-28; winter break, Dec. 22-Jan. 2; Presidents' Day, Feb. 16; spring break, March 22-26; and Good Friday, April 9.
— adopted the 2003-2004 CHS student handbook. The revised handbook includes a provision requiring the district to provide to military recruiters upon request names, addresses, and phone numbers of high school juniors and seniors. It also must provide information to colleges upon request. Parents who wish not to disclose this information without prior written consent must fill out a parent opt-out form and return it to the school.
The handbook also contains a revised computer policy which states in part: "Students shall have no expectation of privacy when using district e-mail or computer systems. E-mail messages shall be used only for approved educational purposes."
The board spent 25 minutes in executive session with Evancho, Principal Neal Weltha, and Clerk Peggy Falen to discuss staff negotiations. A five-minute executive session was held with Evancho and Weltha to discuss personnel.
Legislative liaison Jennifer Kassebaum announced that the deferred payment from the state in July means districts will receive only 11 payments instead of 12 in the next fiscal year.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:27 p.m.
