Jay Schools’ budget OK’d

A Jay Schools budget topping more than $37 million was approved Monday night for 2015.
The bulk of that amount — $25,884,000 — will come from state tax revenues, which cover the lion’s share of the school corporation’s general fund. Local property taxes will account for $11,271,983, with a tentative tax rate of $1.3729 per $100 assessed valuation.
Those numbers are likely to be adjusted downward when the budget is reviewed and approved by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.
Action on the budget came on a 5-0 vote, with board members Ron Laux and Greg Wellman absent.
In addition to approving the budget, the board authorized advertising for a hearing on an additional appropriation of $757,000 to allow for paying year-end bills. That hearing is set for Oct. 20.
While acknowledging the need for the additional appropriation, board president Mike Masters repeated his concerns that the school corporation needs to build up its year-end cash reserves, which have been shrinking in recent years.
“We’re going to have to do something more drastic to get those reserves moving in the other direction,” said Masters.
Business manager Brad DeRome noted that staffing is down by 22 positions since the end of the school year.
“We want to do everything we can to still break even,” he said.
Board members agreed to take another look at the school corporation’s student dress code policy after hearing comments from a Redkey parent.
Melissa Denney told the board she believes the code’s prohibition of facial piercings is petty and intolerant.
“I want my kids to be their own person,” she said. “It’s not disruptive. … I think you need to give these kids a chance and be tolerant of peoples’ differences.”
“My concern is where does it stop,” said board member Kristi Betts. “And that’s something we’ll have to talk about.”
The board put the dress code policy on the agenda for its next meeting, along with several other policy revisions aimed at maintaining compliance with changes in state law.
At the recommendation of superintendent Tim Long, the board approved requesting a waiver from the Indiana Department of Education for a non-standard course. The course, an introduction to agriculture independent online study, would be a vocational offering. Currently online vocational courses are not part of the standard curriculum.
Long told the board he is still awaiting guidance from the DOE on E-Days, programs that can allow for the make-up of lost classroom time because of snow or bad weather.
“The state does not have any guidelines for those yet,” said Long. “I think it’s something to pursue.”
Long also noted that enrollment is down 15 to 16 students from the count in February, but is comparable to enrollment numbers one year ago.
In other business, the board:
•Authorized advertising for an auction of surplus equipment at 4 p.m. Oct. 17, at the former bus garage at East Jay Middle School. Shawver Auctioneering will handle the sale. Items to be sold include school furniture, mowers, computer equipment and three vehicles.
•Accepted a $1,000 donation from Wal-Mart for a garden project at Westlawn Elementary School, a $500 donation from Schmit Chiropractic for the Best Buddies club and a $1,000 donation from Coca-Cola for Best Buddies.
•Hired Keely Ferguson as a cook at Jay County High School and Charlotte Norris as a part-time cook at Bloomfield Elementary School.
•Transferred Camille Segraves to the head cook position at JCHS.
•Accepted the resignations of part-time cook Valerie Reynolds and bus aide Evelyn Scott.
•Approved leaves of absence for instructional assistant Helen Walter, kindergarten teacher Celeste Tetrault, payroll coordinator Shannon Current and JCHS English teacher Whitney Freeman.
•Approve extracurricular assignments for Garrett Krieg as assistant boys’ basketball coach at JCHS, Brittany Byrum as a social studies academic assistant at JCHS, Zach Keller as a math academic assistant at JCHS, Priscilla Willrath as boys’ basketball coach at Westlawn, Kathy Ayers as student council sponsor at East Elementary School, Susan Denney as swing choir and choir co-director at JCHS, Jan Rittenhouse as swing choir and choir co-director at JCHS, Craig Campbell as gifted and talented coordinator and Lana Kahlig as gymnastics coach at JCHS.
•Accepted the extracurricular resignations of Amy Dillon as sixth grade girls’ basketball coach at East Jay Middle School, Jessica Longerbone as a math academic assistant at JCHS, Ryan Thomson as assistant band director at JCHS, Dru Mercer as student council sponsor at East Elementary and Andrew Schmit as wrestling coach, track coach and student council co-sponsor at East Jay.
•Approved field trips by the soil science class, the Spanish class and the JCHS wrestling team.