Scott Swanson
Sweet Home School Board members unanimously approved the district’s 2020-21 budget Monday, June 8, in a meeting held at Sweet Home Junior High.
Six board members were present for the vote: Debra Brown, Chanz Keeney, Joe Kennedy, Chairman Jason Redick, Mike Reynolds and Jason Van Eck. Angela Clegg, Jenny Daniels and Jim Gourley were absent.
Business Manager Kevin Strong told board members that there is one change to the budget approved last month by the district Budget Committee.
Due to the district’s participation in the Work Share program and due to a spending freeze at the end of the current fiscal year, the district should have $325,000 more than previously expected in its General Fund to start the new year in July, he said.
Those funds increase the total budget to $45,960,296, which, in addition to the $26,753,000 General Fund, includes bond payments for the Public Employees Retirement System, general obligation bonds used for construction, a total of around $10 million along with various grant-funded programs, $1.4 million in nutrition services, $620,000 in Title I funds, $586,000 in Measure 98 funding for CTE and graduation programs, $1.4 million in special revenue funds; $645,000 in early retirement funds; and $815,000 in long-term maintenance.
Previous to the board’s budget decision, Supt. Tom Yahraes told trustees that the State School Fund is $490 million short, which could mean a $1.96 million reduction for the district’s 2020-21 budget, which, he said, would equal 22 furlough days or a reduction of 26 FTE – “people.”
He said school districts will lobby at the Legislature, which is expected to meet in late June. He said it is also possible that federal money might be made available.
“For the district, we are in a holding pattern until then,” Yahraes said. “We have staffing positions posted, but will typically not offer positions until we have a better understanding of the funding.”
In a separate action, board members unanimously approved the acceleration of a payment to reduce the district’s unfunded liability into the current 2019-20 fiscal year.
Strong told the board that the payment was originally planned to be made in July, in the 2020-21 fiscal year, but the district can get a $300,000 incentive payment from the state by paying early.
He noted that the district’s $325,000 savings through the Oregon Work Share program, which the board approved last month, requires a lot more effort than this funding does.
“I think of all the work we’re going to to get $325,000 from Work Share,” Strong said. “This is easy money if we pay now, rather than waiting till July.”
Board members also approved, unanimously, moving $200,000 from the General Fund Instruction budget to its Support Services budget. Strong said the move was made possible by savings in instructional expenses, such as substitute teachers and teaching supplies, and those funds are needed to cover unplanned expenses, such as cleaning supplies, a used Suburban purchased to replace one that was rear-ended earlier this year and totaled, asbestos abatement, etc.
The board heard from Yahraes that district enrollment is at a four-year high, at 2,269. Yahares also reported that the district has done “an excellent job in responding to the distance learning conditions and criteria under the governor’s orders.” He said district staff is continuing to look for ways to improve.
Schools’ use of online instruction have varied “greatly,” ranging from 9 percent to 71 percent in just the elementary schools.
“The data let us know we have a lot more to do in terms of educating our students, parents and teachers regarding online learning,” Yahraes said.
He predicted that there will be changes that include continued online learning in the fall. Other things the state is highlighting for schools looking to reopen include: shaping classrooms to expand social distancing as much as possible; maximizing hand cleaning and hygiene opportunities; keeping students in clusters – having teachers rotate, rather than students, for instance; strict protocols for cold and flu symptoms; strict cleaning routines for janitorial staff, etc.
“We have examined protocols, designs, concepts for all of these things and we have been attempting to get ahead of ordering needed materials for next year,” Yahraes said.
In other action, the board:
– Approved the hiring of Taylor Rash as a special education and life skills teacher at the high school.
– Accepted the resignations of Kayla Hunt, a special education teacher at Hawthorne, and Kim Hunt, a special education teacher at Foster.
– Accepted a donation of and estimated $1,000 worth of African hardwood for the high school woodshop from Jim Picket of Sweet Home.
– Took a tour of the new construction at Sweet Home Junior High.