Low enrollment will make 2020-21 budget a challenge
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By Amber Hayden
GLENWOOD CITY — Superintendent Tim Johnson brought information to the Glenwood City Board of Education on how enrollment will make a difference in the upcoming school year budget.
“We are down 60 students in the last four years,” Johnson explained. “And just some quick math that is close to $600,000.”
Johnson explained that the district will have to be careful moving forward as they may have to dip into the sparsity aid that has continuously been added to fund 46 for community improvement.
In his report Johnson stated that student enrollment is part of what drives the revenue source for Glenwood City and with a difference of 15 students per year, things made it more difficult to put together a budget that will work for the school district.
“I believe part of my responsibility is to write a budget and have a positive outlook that is successful in doing everything we hope to accomplish,” Johnson stated.
Glenwood City School District will begin the 2020-21 school year with $240,000 less as a result of having 24 students that are no longer in the schools.
“I wanted to be realistic and our little district is getting smaller,” Johnson explained. “It isn’t the same Glenwood City of ten years ago, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a great place and that we don’t do good things.”
Board member Lisa Logghe asked Johnson if he had the data on the 60 students that had left over the course of the four years, he responded that it was a majority of kids who had moved out of the district and that anyone that open enrolls is blended into the student count.
“We will figure it out and we will be fine,” stated Johnson.
Nicole Brite let board members know that open enrollment is not closed in any of the grades, and that only students that would require placement for severe cases of special needs would be denied enrollment due to the heavy case load for the district.
“The recommended case load is 28-29 percent and we are sitting at 39 percent,” said Brite.
After the negative start, Johnson was able to bring a positive light to the board meeting Monday evening when he discussed the board sponsored scholarships.
This year the school district will award 21 scholarships from five scholarship funds available that will total $22,900 roughly.
The students that are awarded the scholarships are chosen by a committee made up of 6-8 members including business owners and staff members.
With the upcoming elections the board members drew numbers to see how they would be placed on the ballot.
Board president Lisa Kaiser’s name will appear first, followed by vice president John Mrdutt, and board member Steve Davis.
Of those running, the one with the lowest amount of votes will be up for re-election the following year. This is a result from when Steve Davis was appointed to the board for the open seat.
During the meeting the Board of Education:
• Accepted the resignation of Laura Lee as Destination Imagination Adviser.
• Approved the posting for Destination Imagination Adviser.
• Approved Avon Karpenske as a substitute teacher.
• Accepted the resignation of Jennifer Mickelson as Para-Professional.
• Approved to hire Tiffany Fox as a part time Para-Professional.
• Approved a Middle School English/Language Arts instructor.
The next Glenwood City School Board meeting will be on Janaury 27, 2020, with a 5:30 p.m. committee meeting and a 6:30 p.m. Board meeting.