July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Schools in solid fiscal condition (12/18/07)
Jay School Board
By By JACK RONALD-
Fiscal health has returned to Jay Schools.
But school officials want to maintain a financial cushion in a period of uncertainty over property taxes and state funding.
"We're expecting to go five years in a row spending less than our tax revenue coming in," business manager Brad DeRome told the Jay School Board Monday night.
Thanks in part to state funding for full-day kindergarten at a level of almost $800 per student, the school corporation expects to see a positive cash flow of $90,000 and end the calendar year with a balance on hand of about $3.2 million.
That's a far cry from six or seven years ago, when deficit spending and the misappropriation of lease payments for the high school led to red ink.
"Our cash position is higher than December of '99," superintendent Tim Long said. "Your financial picture is very good."
The turnaround prompted board member Greg Wellman to wonder what level of cash balance is appropriate for the school corporation to maintain.
Board member Larry Paxson suggested caution. "We're never more than a phone call away from the state saying, "We're going to delay your payment a month,'" he said. "I don't think we should squander it."
Board president Bryan Alexander also urged maintaining a reasonable cash balance to be able to continue to meet payroll if there are delays in state funding or in property tax draws. "It gives you a little flexibility," he said.
DeRome noted that his figures today still represent projections. "We come back a month from now and I'll have the actual numbers," he said.
Board members and Long praised DeRome for his control of the school system's financial position. "You've got a man who watches every penny," said Long.
DeRome noted there's continued uncertainty over when the revision of assessments of commercial and industrial properties that has been required by the Department of Local Government Finance will be completed. That, in turn, will have an impact on finalizing the school system's 2008 budget and could have an impact on 2008 property tax collection.
Board members gave unanimous approval to borrowing $1 million from the Indiana Bond Bank for the capital projects fund in 2008, and DeRome indicated he may have to return to the board if delays in property tax payments require further borrowing for the general fund.
The board was also unanimous in agreeing to pursue a biomedical program under Project Lead the Way. The career-oriented program at the high school level would be similar to Project Lead the Way's engineering program which is being launched this year.
"The thing I like about it is it's a national curriculum," said Alexander.
The board also unanimously approved a school system policy in the event of a pandemic flu.
In other business, the board:
•Heard a presentation on the Indiana Gold Star School Counseling Initiative from middle school counselors Laura McCollum and Tammy Velasco. East Jay and West Jay middle schools have been recognized on a state level for their involvement in the program. "The main purpose of what we're doing is making our school counseling program accountable," said Velasco. Jay County High School is also becoming involved in the Gold Star Counseling program, she said.
•Approved a calendar of tentative dates for school board meetings in 2008.
•Reviewed a draft of a calendar for the 2008-2009 school year which Long has been circulating among teachers and administrators for feedback. Long said he is hoping to adjust the calendar to allow for more staff development time.
•Discussed the possibility of televising board meetings on cable public access channels or providing a webcast via the school system's Internet site.
•Authorized DeRome to make year-end fund transfers to pay bills.
•Hired Annette Stultz as an instructional assistant at Redkey Elementary School, Dave Wall as an industrial arts teacher at JCHS, and Jennifer Stahly as a long-term substituted physical education teacher at Westlawn, Redkey, and Pennville elementaries.
•Accepted the resignation of JCHS guidance secretary Linda Ashman.
•Approved Lance Balsiger as volunteer eighth grade boys' basketball coach at West Jay and Ryan VanSkyock as volunteer assistant track coach at JCHS.
•Approved leaves for bus driver Rinada Davis and reading recovery teacher Angela Couch.
[[In-content Ad]]With Jay Schools delaying classes for two hours this morning because of snow-covered rural roads, superintendent Tim Long said Monday student safety should be the primary concern.
"We want kids safe. That's ultimately what we're here for," said Long.
On that subject, parents and students with cell phones may now sign up to be alerted with a text message in the event of a school closing or delay. The service is through an Indianapolis television station.
Parents, said Long, have a right to hold their children out of school if they believe conditions are unsafe for travel.
"If a parent feels it's not safe to send their child to school, that goes down as "other'" in attendance reports, Long said.
He also said all school bus drivers have the discretion not to drive if they believe conditions are hazardous.
School officials will use delays and canceling of classes when necessary but are aware that they can create scheduling problems for many households.
"Our goal is to be in school, not out of school," said Long. "But our first priority is to make it safe."
When classes are delayed or cancelled, parents, students and staff have a new option to receive that information via e-mail or text messaging.
"Thirty seconds after I called (the school closing) in, (a text message) was on my cell phone," Teresa Myers, Jay Schools coordinator of transportation said this morning. "It's another convenience factor. Technology is great."
Last week, school officials signed up for this new service through WISH TV 8 in Indianapolis. This service is available by signing up on www.wishtv.com. Then click on "sign up for SchoolWatch 8 Alerts' under school delays and closing alerts. The site requires some personal information and the selection of a school corporation. After you have successfully signed up an authorization code will be sent to you by text or e-mail message. This code is required to complete the sign up process online, according to the directions provided by Myers this morning.
The free service was made available to Jay County residents after corporation officials added Jay County to WISH TV's school alert list.
"We don't normally call them (with closings or delays)," Myers said.
The idea was recently brought before Long by a parent.
But school officials want to maintain a financial cushion in a period of uncertainty over property taxes and state funding.
"We're expecting to go five years in a row spending less than our tax revenue coming in," business manager Brad DeRome told the Jay School Board Monday night.
Thanks in part to state funding for full-day kindergarten at a level of almost $800 per student, the school corporation expects to see a positive cash flow of $90,000 and end the calendar year with a balance on hand of about $3.2 million.
That's a far cry from six or seven years ago, when deficit spending and the misappropriation of lease payments for the high school led to red ink.
"Our cash position is higher than December of '99," superintendent Tim Long said. "Your financial picture is very good."
The turnaround prompted board member Greg Wellman to wonder what level of cash balance is appropriate for the school corporation to maintain.
Board member Larry Paxson suggested caution. "We're never more than a phone call away from the state saying, "We're going to delay your payment a month,'" he said. "I don't think we should squander it."
Board president Bryan Alexander also urged maintaining a reasonable cash balance to be able to continue to meet payroll if there are delays in state funding or in property tax draws. "It gives you a little flexibility," he said.
DeRome noted that his figures today still represent projections. "We come back a month from now and I'll have the actual numbers," he said.
Board members and Long praised DeRome for his control of the school system's financial position. "You've got a man who watches every penny," said Long.
DeRome noted there's continued uncertainty over when the revision of assessments of commercial and industrial properties that has been required by the Department of Local Government Finance will be completed. That, in turn, will have an impact on finalizing the school system's 2008 budget and could have an impact on 2008 property tax collection.
Board members gave unanimous approval to borrowing $1 million from the Indiana Bond Bank for the capital projects fund in 2008, and DeRome indicated he may have to return to the board if delays in property tax payments require further borrowing for the general fund.
The board was also unanimous in agreeing to pursue a biomedical program under Project Lead the Way. The career-oriented program at the high school level would be similar to Project Lead the Way's engineering program which is being launched this year.
"The thing I like about it is it's a national curriculum," said Alexander.
The board also unanimously approved a school system policy in the event of a pandemic flu.
In other business, the board:
•Heard a presentation on the Indiana Gold Star School Counseling Initiative from middle school counselors Laura McCollum and Tammy Velasco. East Jay and West Jay middle schools have been recognized on a state level for their involvement in the program. "The main purpose of what we're doing is making our school counseling program accountable," said Velasco. Jay County High School is also becoming involved in the Gold Star Counseling program, she said.
•Approved a calendar of tentative dates for school board meetings in 2008.
•Reviewed a draft of a calendar for the 2008-2009 school year which Long has been circulating among teachers and administrators for feedback. Long said he is hoping to adjust the calendar to allow for more staff development time.
•Discussed the possibility of televising board meetings on cable public access channels or providing a webcast via the school system's Internet site.
•Authorized DeRome to make year-end fund transfers to pay bills.
•Hired Annette Stultz as an instructional assistant at Redkey Elementary School, Dave Wall as an industrial arts teacher at JCHS, and Jennifer Stahly as a long-term substituted physical education teacher at Westlawn, Redkey, and Pennville elementaries.
•Accepted the resignation of JCHS guidance secretary Linda Ashman.
•Approved Lance Balsiger as volunteer eighth grade boys' basketball coach at West Jay and Ryan VanSkyock as volunteer assistant track coach at JCHS.
•Approved leaves for bus driver Rinada Davis and reading recovery teacher Angela Couch.
[[In-content Ad]]With Jay Schools delaying classes for two hours this morning because of snow-covered rural roads, superintendent Tim Long said Monday student safety should be the primary concern.
"We want kids safe. That's ultimately what we're here for," said Long.
On that subject, parents and students with cell phones may now sign up to be alerted with a text message in the event of a school closing or delay. The service is through an Indianapolis television station.
Parents, said Long, have a right to hold their children out of school if they believe conditions are unsafe for travel.
"If a parent feels it's not safe to send their child to school, that goes down as "other'" in attendance reports, Long said.
He also said all school bus drivers have the discretion not to drive if they believe conditions are hazardous.
School officials will use delays and canceling of classes when necessary but are aware that they can create scheduling problems for many households.
"Our goal is to be in school, not out of school," said Long. "But our first priority is to make it safe."
When classes are delayed or cancelled, parents, students and staff have a new option to receive that information via e-mail or text messaging.
"Thirty seconds after I called (the school closing) in, (a text message) was on my cell phone," Teresa Myers, Jay Schools coordinator of transportation said this morning. "It's another convenience factor. Technology is great."
Last week, school officials signed up for this new service through WISH TV 8 in Indianapolis. This service is available by signing up on www.wishtv.com. Then click on "sign up for SchoolWatch 8 Alerts' under school delays and closing alerts. The site requires some personal information and the selection of a school corporation. After you have successfully signed up an authorization code will be sent to you by text or e-mail message. This code is required to complete the sign up process online, according to the directions provided by Myers this morning.
The free service was made available to Jay County residents after corporation officials added Jay County to WISH TV's school alert list.
"We don't normally call them (with closings or delays)," Myers said.
The idea was recently brought before Long by a parent.
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