State grant expected to fall by $415,000

With the first enrollment count of the 2015-16 school year in the rearview mirror, Jay School Board now has an idea of how the continued decrease in enrollment will impact its bottom line.
Jay Schools financial manager Brad DeRome updated the board at its meeting Monday, saying he estimates a reduction of $415,000 in the state basic grant.
The board also received a preliminary copy of its 2016-17 calendar and approved an agreement to hire a real estate agent to help with the sale of a piece of corporation property.
Jay County’s enrollment at the official September count day was 3,452, which is down 24 students from the same time last year. (It is up nine students from February.) That reduction, as well as a drop in the special education count, results in the decrease in state money, which accounts for most of the corporation’s general fund.
With those numbers, DeRome estimates deficit spending of $345,000 from the general fund for 2015 with a year-end balance of $1.675 million.
That balance has been a focus for the school board as it has dropped over the last three years after sitting around the $3 million mark from 2005 through 2012. That decline has led to discussions about how to cut costs, with several proposals including closing one or more schools (see related story).
DeRome also updated board members Mike Masters, Greg Wellman, Kristi Betts, Beth Krieg, Cory Gundrum and Ron Laux, with Mike Shannon absent, on the state of the corporation’s bank balance. He had requested at the September meeting to be given authority to borrow up to $745,000 to meet payroll in case of a delay in the state basic grant or property tax draw, but that request was denied on a 5-2 vote.
He told the board it was a close call to make payroll in October, saying he came within about $90,000 of being unable to do so.
“I think it’s an absolute shame that this board put the school corporation in that position that it’s within …. $90,000 of not paying our bills,” said Wellman, who with Shannon voted in September in favor of giving DeRome borrowing authority. “How do we do that? Because we don’t want to look at the public and say, ‘OK, we might have to borrow $700,000 or whatever it is for a week, or two days …’ I think it’s a shame.”
Superintendent Tim Long gave the board an initial draft of the 2016-17 school calendar, which has the first student day scheduled for Aug. 15 and the last for May 23. Fall break would be Oct. 27 and 28, with winter break from Dec. 21 through Jan. 2 and spring break March 20 through 24.
Long will consult with South Adams — students travel between schools for some vocational classes — on the calendar with plans to bring it to the board for a vote in December.
Board members also approved listing the former Beacon Drive-in property, located south of Jay County High School, with Mel Smitley’s Complete Auctioneering & Real Estate. The board did not received any bids this summer for the 15-acre tract that sits at the southwest corner of Indiana 67 and county road 75 South.
In other business, the board:
•Heard from Long that about 25 percent of the kindergarten through third grade students who signed up for college savings plans through the Jay County Promise program have raised the $25 to earn additional matching funds. Students received an initial contribution of $25 from The Portland Foundation. If they are able to collect $25 in donations on their own, they will receive another $50 in matching funds for a total of $100.
•Approved a lease agreement with West Jay Community Center for use of gym space for basketball practice at a cost of $5,400 for the school year, which is down $2,400 from 2014-15.
•Accepted donations of $500 to the JCHS robotics program and $150 to the JCHS Best Buddies club from Community Fiber Solutions.
•Hired technology instructional assistant Katrina Myers (Westlawn, Redkey and Pennville elementary schools) and bus driver Michael Thurston and part-time cook Nicole Chapman (JCHS).
•Accepted resignations from instructional assistant Megan Milthaler (East Jay Middle School) and bus aide Stacy Weaver, and approved leaves of absence for health occupations teacher Jean Ann Poole (JCHS), psychologist Jill Miller, bus driver Judy Schoenlein and secretary Heather Younts.
•Approved extra-curricular assignments for Michelle Hart (West Jay Middle School cross country coach), Holly Johnson (General Shanks Elementary cheer sponsor), Christie Sommers (JCHS PVE club sponsor and head of the physical education department), Mitch Corwin (General Shanks boys basketball coach), Krista Hemmelgarn (JCHS assistant swim coach), Whitney Gray (JCHS assistant girls golf coach), Jenny Outcalt (Redkey yearbook sponsor), Cathy Franks (Redkey student council sponsor), Rhea Waldradth (WJMS sixth grade girls basketball coach), Larry Stultz (WJMS eighth grade boys basketball coach), Zachary Johnson (WJMS seventh grade boys basketball coach), Shad Fields (WJMS eighth grade girls basketball coach), Abby Whetsel (WJMS seventh grade girls basketball coach), Jane Prescott (Redkey Just Say No sponsor), Jill Ranly (JCHS assistant gymnastics coach), Zach Fullenkamp (JCHS freshman boys basketball coach) and Betty Harris (Redkey Just Say No sponsor). Also accepted extra-curricular resignations from Carissa Allred (JCHS assistant girls golf coach), James Roberts (WJMS seventh grade boys basketball coach) and Sommers (JCHS assistant girls basketball coach).
•Agreed to contract with Emily Reynolds at a rate of $50 per hour at 40 hours per week for occupational therapy services, Traci Clark for $27 per hour at 20 hours per week as an occupational therapy assistant and Rehabilitative Services of Coldwater, Ohio, at a cost of $78.50 per hour for a physical therapist and $48 per hour for a physical therapy assistant. The rates are the same as for the 2014-15 school year.
•Approved field trip requests for the JCHS Early College Program students Nov. 12 and 13 to Purdue University and Chicago, Illinois, the JCHS English 10 class Oct. 26 to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, the JCHS boys basketball team Jan. 8 and 9 to the Indiana/Kentucky Challenge Cup in Frankfort, Kentucky, JCHS FFA students Nov. 20 through 22 to FIRE Leadership Camp in Trafalgar and JCHS choir students March 30 through April 3 to New York City. Also approved bus requests from The Rock church youth group for a Nov. 13 through 15 trip to Epworth Forest in North Webster and Dec. 5 to Starlight Skating Rink in Winchester.