Deficit possible for 2016

Jay School Corporation may not have the financial success it had been hoping for this year.
Interim superintendent Brad DeRome told the board at its meeting Monday that a projected drop in vocational and per-student state funding have led him to change his estimate for the year-end cash balance. He now forecasts at $94,000 budget deficit for 2016 after previously projecting a surplus of about $190,000.
Board members also set a special meeting to vote on the hiring of a new superintendent, agreed to move forward on plans for a renovation of the girls locker room at Jay County High School and had another discussion about substitute teacher pay.
DeRome told the board that in addition to state basic grant funding being down from his original estimate because of an enrollment drop of 46 students — he had originally projected a 34-student decline — he has also been told to expect a decrease in vocational education funding. While the final numbers have not been presented yet, vocational education funding for Jay Schools could drop by $146,000 — about 12 percent.
That number and the reduction in enrollment are the key contributors to a projection that shifts the corporation from a budget surplus to a budget deficit for the year, though DeRome hopes adjustments can still be made to get Jay Schools in the black for 2016.
“All these numbers that I put together are based on estimates,” said DeRome. “I still don’t have the final funding formula from the state yet. As I get closer to the end of the year, we get the final funding formula and I have a chance to react to this a little bit better to see if we can make changes to get in the black, that’s our goal.”
Jay School Corporation has run budget deficits in three of the last four years, which has dropped its year-end general fund balance from about $3 million to $1.68 million at the close of 2015. The financial declines have also sparked discussion of the possibility of closing schools.
Board members Kristi Betts, Beth Krieg, Greg Wellman, Mike Shannon, Ron Laux, Cory Gundrum and Tammy Bennett heard no comment in a public hearing regarding the proposed financial package for the new Jay Schools superintendent and then set a special meeting for 7 a.m. Oct. 26 to vote on a candidate for the position. The job came open in July when Tim Long announced his retirement and acceptance of a job with Mount Vernon Community Schools in Fortville. DeRome has been serving in an interim capacity since Long’s departure.
The financial package calls for a salary of $115,000 with benefits totaling $37,281, more than $16,000 of which is for health insurance.
The board set a reception for 4:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at John Jay Center for Learning to welcome the new superintendent.
Board members also approved the basic design for the renovation of the girls locker room area at JCHS, which allows architect Barton-Coe-Villamaa to moved forward with more detailed drawings and specifics for the project. DeRome said the goal for the work, which will be paid for with funds saved as part of refinancing $18 million in bonds, is to begin the day after graduation. He said the three-to-four-month project will not be complete for the start of the 2017-18 school year, but that arrangements are being made to utilize other locker room space in the interim.
The board also heard a report on substitute teacher pay from director of testing and assessment Trent Paxson, who studied area districts after Betts approached him with questions that had been brought to her by Jay Schools teachers.
A survey of Adams, Blackford, Delaware, Huntington, Jay, Randolph and Wells county schools shows the average basic rate for substitutes is $66 per day, with seven of the 17 districts in that area paying $65. The low amount was $60 and the high was $75, though some schools pay more for certified or retired teachers.
It was part of an ongoing discussion about substitute pay as Jay Schools has had difficulty attracting enough subs to fill its needs.
Betts said one solution teachers suggested would be to relax the requirement of a sub having at least 30 college credits in cases in which those interested are regular volunteers at a specific school.
The board plans to discuss the issue again at its November meeting.
In other business, the board:
•Officially accepted an award from Indiana Department of Education representative Doug Thieme as a Family Friendly School. Principal Rex Pinkerton, teacher Kari Brotherton, parent Cindy Murphy and DeRome each received certificates from the DOE.
Thieme congratulated Pennville Elementary on excelling in welcoming all families into the school community, communicating effectively, supporting student success, speaking up for every child, sharing power and leadership, and collaborating with the community. The award was first announced last month.
•Hired instructional assistants Leigh Ann Norton (Bloomfield Elementary), Cassandra Stewart (General Shanks and Judge Haynes) and bus driver Amber Howell; approved John Friend as a full-time bus driver after he previously served as a part-time bus driver; accepted the retirement of maintenance employee Dennis James and the resignation of JCHS art honor society sponsor Jacquelin Analco; fired instructional assistant Mikayla Martin (Westlawn Elementary) and approved leaves of absence for science teacher Chip Phillips (West Jay Middle School, cook Bridget Muhlenkamp (East Elementary) and instructional assistant Kathy Fennig (East Jay Middle School). Jay Schools’ administration placed Phillips, who also served as Dunkirk City Court judge, on leave last month after he was charged with battery against a public safety official, a Level 6 Felony.
•Approved the following assignments for sponsors Anita Clott (Judge Haynes student council), Michelle Keever (WJMS yearbook), Michelle Hart (WJMS drama club), Cindy Hudson (General Shanks cheerleading) and Kathy Ayers (JCHS art honor society) and coaches Catherine Berno (General Shanks boys basketball), Marc Bogenschutz (JCHS assistant girls basketball), Sarah Wenk (EJMS eighth grade volleyball), Rhea Walradth (WJMS sixth grade girls basketball), Larry Stultz (WJMS eighth grade boys basketball); Zachary Johnson (WJMS seventh grade boys basketball), Violet Current, Lindsey Willoughby and Shannon Current (WJMS track coaches) and Thomas Crouch (WJMS seventh grade girls basketball coach).
•OK’d building use agreements with Jay Community Center and West Jay Community Center. The former will pay the school corporation $4,200 for use of gym space while Jay Schools will pay the latter $5,400 for use of its gym.
•Accepted a donation of $1,000 for the Gift of the Heart Fund from Roger and Charlene Theurer in honor of their daughter, Mandy, who was killed in a car accident in February 2015. Also donated were six computers from John Jay Center for Learning for use in the JCHS annex at the downtown Portland facility.
•Approved a field trip for the JCHS cheerleaders Feb. 9 through 14 to the Universal Cheer Association nationals in Orlando, Florida.