July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Board is urged to watch funds
Jay School Board
A $37.6 million Jay Schools budget for 2012 drew no public comment Monday night.
But local government watchdog Paula Confer urged school board members to keep a close eye on spending.
“I would still appreciate it if you watched our monies a little closer,” Confer told the board, noting that she was pleased to see that school corporation indebtedness has decreased.
The 2012 budget, set for adoption on Sept. 12, totals $37,630,410.
Of that total, $25,482,865 is the general fund, which has been supported primarily by state tax revenues since 2008.
School corporation business manager Brad DeRome has noted that 97 percent of the general fund now comes from state taxes. No local property tax revenues go into the general fund.
The 2012 budget also calls for a debt service fund of $3,744,101, a pension debt service fund of $985,508, a capital projects fund of $3,350,000, a transportation operating fund of $2,486,000, and a bus replacement fund of $1,581,936.
Board members unanimously gave DeRome permission to advertise for an additional appropriation of $650,000 from the general fund to cover medical expenses in the fourth quarter of this year. But that approval came with an expression of concern about the impact on the corporation’s year-end operating balance.
“I hope we don’t need it,” DeRome said. “But it’s more prudent for me to ask ahead of time.”
The current year’s school budget was constructed to be balanced, with spending not exceeding revenues.
However, DeRome said, “Having (medical) claims skyrocket was not part of our equation.”
Board member Mike Masters asked DeRome to provide a detailed report on how the additional appropriation is spent if the funds are needed.
There will also be an additional appropriation advertised for $150,000 from the rainy day fund to pay for repairs and maintenance of school property.
Those additional appropriations will be on the agenda for action at the Sept. 12 board meeting.
At the recommendation of superintendent Tim Long, the board gave unanimous approval to a memorandum of understanding with John Jay Center for Learning to provide adult basic education and other services to the school corporation.
The agreement totals $43,388, but Long noted that the amount is likely to go higher as other services and programs are added.
“I do anticipate we’ll have more costs with this,” Long said.
The board also approved a lease with West Jay Community Center for use of its gymnasium facility for some middle school and elementary school basketball practices and games at a cost of $6,720.
Approval of the lease was unanimous, though board member Jim Sanders said he didn’t understand the need to go beyond existing school facilities.
“Why do we have to go somewhere else?” Sanders asked.
Long said the use of the gym has been beneficial to the community. “We have a lot of events,” Long said. “I think it’s been a pretty good thing for Dunkirk.”
In other business, the board:
•Adopted five new academic goals for the school corporation at the recommendation of assistant superintendent Wood Barwick. The goals include improving the number of students passing ISTEP by 2 percentage points, the number of eighth grade students passing the language arts portion of the test by 3 percentage points, the number of seventh graders passing the language arts portion by 4 percent, 95 percent participation in the Acuity and mCLASS test preparation programs, and having all schools meet adequate yearly progress goals.
•Heard pointed criticism from local resident Martin Lee about the school corporation’s China initiative. Lee has complained about the program before. Praising Sanders, Lee told the others, “I think you’re all Communists, especially you Mr. Long.”
Long later noted nine visitors from China are currently here. “I think it’s good for global education,” he told the board. “Our goal is to create good global citizens.”
•Scheduled a public auction at 4 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the old bus garage at East Jay Middle School to sell off surplus equipment. The auction will include mowers, a 1971 Ford tractor, a 1997 Chevrolet dump truck, wood working tools, and a 1999 Chevrolet cargo van.
•Heard school board attorney Phil Frantz report that a title search is underway to clarify ownership of the site of the former Redkey school.
•Hired Jennifer Mickler as a teacher at Westlawn Elementary School, Deidre Rosenbeck as a teacher at East Jay Middle School, Amanda Jones as a reading recovery teacher at Bloomfield and Pennville elementaries, and Dennis Dwiggins as a driver education teacher.
•Hired Kim Loy, Michael Hirschy, Cindy Bracy, Connie Malberg, Kelly Johnson, Michael Brown, Neesha Anderson, and Barbara Louck as school bus drivers.
•Hired Bridgett Muhlenkamp and Mary Stump as part-time cooks at Bloomfield Elementary School, Laura Wimmer as head cook at Jay County High School, and Crystal Lothridge as a part-time cook at East Elementary School.
•Hired John McFarland as a special education instructional assistant at JCHS, Angela Flowers as a technology instructional assistant at Westlawn, Pennville, and Redkey elementaries, Alissa McMillan as a technology instructional assistant at Judge Haynes and General Shanks elementaries, Cassandra Twibell as a special education instructional assistant at East Jay, Renee Weaver as a special education instructional assistant at Westlawn, Lisa Brewster as a part-time school nurse at Pennville and Redkey elementaries, Kathy Keller as a special education instructional assistant at JCHS, Teresa Ainsworth as a part-time library aide at East, and Mathew Wilburn as a special education instructional assistant at JCHS.
•Accepted the resignations of Cindy Bracy as a bus aide, Connie Louck as an instructional assistant, Marie Secor as a nurse, Cynthia Evers as a part-time adult education aide, Adam Faulkner as a fifth grade teacher at Westlawn, and Robert Phelps as a seventh grade English teacher at West Jay Middle School.
•Approved a leave of absence for Tommy Phillips, a sixth grade science teacher at West Jay.
•Approved extracurricular assignments for Marc Bogenschutz as girls’ junior varsity basketball coach at JCHS, Susan Garringer as boys’ and girls’ tennis coach at JCHS, Matt Goldworthy as freshman football coach at JCHS, Sarah Wenk as volunteer girls’ volleyball coach at JCHS, Denise Selvey as volunteer cheerleading coach at West Jay, Christy Shawver as sixth grade volleyball coach at East Jay, Violet Current as eighth grade volleyball coach at West Jay, Paul Scott as eighth grade assistant football coach at West Jay, Chuck Bihn as freshman academy white team leader at JCHS, Jessica Longerbone as academic assistant math coordinator at JCHS, Annie McClung as academic team coach at JCHS, Chris Overholt as assistant football coach at JCHS, Deidre Rosenbeck as assistant cross country coach at East Jay, Rebecca LeMaster as sixth grade volleyball coach at East Jay, Kyliann Kelso as cheer sponsor at Redkey, Shawna Davis as yearbook sponsor at Redkey, and Cathy Franks as student council sponsor at Redkey.
•Accepted the extracurricular resignations of Jane Prescott as sixth grade volleyball coach at East Jay, Tammy Boltz as seventh grade basketball coach at East Jay, Kim Bye as assistant cross country coach at East Jay, and Chrissy Krieg as freshman academy team leader at JCHS.
•Authorized field trips by theater students to the Stratford Festival in Ontario and FFA members to the national convention in Indianapolis.[[In-content Ad]]
But local government watchdog Paula Confer urged school board members to keep a close eye on spending.
“I would still appreciate it if you watched our monies a little closer,” Confer told the board, noting that she was pleased to see that school corporation indebtedness has decreased.
The 2012 budget, set for adoption on Sept. 12, totals $37,630,410.
Of that total, $25,482,865 is the general fund, which has been supported primarily by state tax revenues since 2008.
School corporation business manager Brad DeRome has noted that 97 percent of the general fund now comes from state taxes. No local property tax revenues go into the general fund.
The 2012 budget also calls for a debt service fund of $3,744,101, a pension debt service fund of $985,508, a capital projects fund of $3,350,000, a transportation operating fund of $2,486,000, and a bus replacement fund of $1,581,936.
Board members unanimously gave DeRome permission to advertise for an additional appropriation of $650,000 from the general fund to cover medical expenses in the fourth quarter of this year. But that approval came with an expression of concern about the impact on the corporation’s year-end operating balance.
“I hope we don’t need it,” DeRome said. “But it’s more prudent for me to ask ahead of time.”
The current year’s school budget was constructed to be balanced, with spending not exceeding revenues.
However, DeRome said, “Having (medical) claims skyrocket was not part of our equation.”
Board member Mike Masters asked DeRome to provide a detailed report on how the additional appropriation is spent if the funds are needed.
There will also be an additional appropriation advertised for $150,000 from the rainy day fund to pay for repairs and maintenance of school property.
Those additional appropriations will be on the agenda for action at the Sept. 12 board meeting.
At the recommendation of superintendent Tim Long, the board gave unanimous approval to a memorandum of understanding with John Jay Center for Learning to provide adult basic education and other services to the school corporation.
The agreement totals $43,388, but Long noted that the amount is likely to go higher as other services and programs are added.
“I do anticipate we’ll have more costs with this,” Long said.
The board also approved a lease with West Jay Community Center for use of its gymnasium facility for some middle school and elementary school basketball practices and games at a cost of $6,720.
Approval of the lease was unanimous, though board member Jim Sanders said he didn’t understand the need to go beyond existing school facilities.
“Why do we have to go somewhere else?” Sanders asked.
Long said the use of the gym has been beneficial to the community. “We have a lot of events,” Long said. “I think it’s been a pretty good thing for Dunkirk.”
In other business, the board:
•Adopted five new academic goals for the school corporation at the recommendation of assistant superintendent Wood Barwick. The goals include improving the number of students passing ISTEP by 2 percentage points, the number of eighth grade students passing the language arts portion of the test by 3 percentage points, the number of seventh graders passing the language arts portion by 4 percent, 95 percent participation in the Acuity and mCLASS test preparation programs, and having all schools meet adequate yearly progress goals.
•Heard pointed criticism from local resident Martin Lee about the school corporation’s China initiative. Lee has complained about the program before. Praising Sanders, Lee told the others, “I think you’re all Communists, especially you Mr. Long.”
Long later noted nine visitors from China are currently here. “I think it’s good for global education,” he told the board. “Our goal is to create good global citizens.”
•Scheduled a public auction at 4 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the old bus garage at East Jay Middle School to sell off surplus equipment. The auction will include mowers, a 1971 Ford tractor, a 1997 Chevrolet dump truck, wood working tools, and a 1999 Chevrolet cargo van.
•Heard school board attorney Phil Frantz report that a title search is underway to clarify ownership of the site of the former Redkey school.
•Hired Jennifer Mickler as a teacher at Westlawn Elementary School, Deidre Rosenbeck as a teacher at East Jay Middle School, Amanda Jones as a reading recovery teacher at Bloomfield and Pennville elementaries, and Dennis Dwiggins as a driver education teacher.
•Hired Kim Loy, Michael Hirschy, Cindy Bracy, Connie Malberg, Kelly Johnson, Michael Brown, Neesha Anderson, and Barbara Louck as school bus drivers.
•Hired Bridgett Muhlenkamp and Mary Stump as part-time cooks at Bloomfield Elementary School, Laura Wimmer as head cook at Jay County High School, and Crystal Lothridge as a part-time cook at East Elementary School.
•Hired John McFarland as a special education instructional assistant at JCHS, Angela Flowers as a technology instructional assistant at Westlawn, Pennville, and Redkey elementaries, Alissa McMillan as a technology instructional assistant at Judge Haynes and General Shanks elementaries, Cassandra Twibell as a special education instructional assistant at East Jay, Renee Weaver as a special education instructional assistant at Westlawn, Lisa Brewster as a part-time school nurse at Pennville and Redkey elementaries, Kathy Keller as a special education instructional assistant at JCHS, Teresa Ainsworth as a part-time library aide at East, and Mathew Wilburn as a special education instructional assistant at JCHS.
•Accepted the resignations of Cindy Bracy as a bus aide, Connie Louck as an instructional assistant, Marie Secor as a nurse, Cynthia Evers as a part-time adult education aide, Adam Faulkner as a fifth grade teacher at Westlawn, and Robert Phelps as a seventh grade English teacher at West Jay Middle School.
•Approved a leave of absence for Tommy Phillips, a sixth grade science teacher at West Jay.
•Approved extracurricular assignments for Marc Bogenschutz as girls’ junior varsity basketball coach at JCHS, Susan Garringer as boys’ and girls’ tennis coach at JCHS, Matt Goldworthy as freshman football coach at JCHS, Sarah Wenk as volunteer girls’ volleyball coach at JCHS, Denise Selvey as volunteer cheerleading coach at West Jay, Christy Shawver as sixth grade volleyball coach at East Jay, Violet Current as eighth grade volleyball coach at West Jay, Paul Scott as eighth grade assistant football coach at West Jay, Chuck Bihn as freshman academy white team leader at JCHS, Jessica Longerbone as academic assistant math coordinator at JCHS, Annie McClung as academic team coach at JCHS, Chris Overholt as assistant football coach at JCHS, Deidre Rosenbeck as assistant cross country coach at East Jay, Rebecca LeMaster as sixth grade volleyball coach at East Jay, Kyliann Kelso as cheer sponsor at Redkey, Shawna Davis as yearbook sponsor at Redkey, and Cathy Franks as student council sponsor at Redkey.
•Accepted the extracurricular resignations of Jane Prescott as sixth grade volleyball coach at East Jay, Tammy Boltz as seventh grade basketball coach at East Jay, Kim Bye as assistant cross country coach at East Jay, and Chrissy Krieg as freshman academy team leader at JCHS.
•Authorized field trips by theater students to the Stratford Festival in Ontario and FFA members to the national convention in Indianapolis.[[In-content Ad]]
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