GC School Board, community members approve 2016-17 budget

By Cara L. Dempski

GLENWOOD CITY — Glenwood City Superintendent Tim Johnson presented the district’s budget to the school board, district administrators, and community residents during the annual budget hearing, held September 12.

The budget was then unanimously approved as part of the district’s Annual Meeting held directly after the budget hearing.

The annual mill rate is projected to move up to $9.99 per thousand dollars in property value, which is an increase from $9.52 in 2015. However, Johnson is also anticipating a 4.5 percent increase in property valuation, which would keep the mill rate around $9.50 for the year.

“For the purpose of discussion tonight, since we don’t know the property valuation for sure, and won’t know it until two or two-and-a-half weeks from now, we kept the property valuation stable from last year,” Johnson said while explaining the projected mill rate.

He further explained that the projected mill rate increase would likely only occur if auditors found property values had not increased since the 2015-16 budget.

The proposed tax levy for 2016 is $2,279,346, which is an increase of $107,675 over the previous year’s levy. Johnson stated during the meeting these amounts are based on projected numbers, and there would be more concrete amounts once the district audit was complete.

Overall, the Glenwood City School District expects to have a budget of $8,501,276, which is an increase of nearly $300,000 from the previous year.

Board member Jon Mrdutt moved to accept the budget as it was presented, and was seconded by community member Shawn DeWitt.

Johnson explained during the meeting the district works very hard to maintain a stable mill rate from year to year. He also stated it can be difficult to project the rates for the coming year.

“We don’t have our October aid yet,” said Johnson, referring to the aid provided by the state, “and we don’t know our property values, so this truly is a projection.”

He went on to say the projection for the mill rate and subsequent tax levy is pretty close to what will be needed. It is Johnson’s goal to maintain a stable mill rate while providing adequate funds for the district. This means the school district tries to find ways to use all the money it receives from the state to maintain the local tax levies and mill rates from year to year.

In other business, the board and residents:

• Voted for board member salaries to remain the same as in 2015, with $2,100 for officers, and $1,800 for members.

• Re-authorized paying board members $50 for participation in board and committee meetings beyond regular monthly meetings.

• Authorized payment to board members on official school district business for travel expenses, room and board. A per diem of $40 per day while traveling outside the district was also approved.

• Gave the board authority to defend or prosecute any action in which the district is implicated and to hire proper personnel for such action.

• Approved setting the next annual meeting for September 11, 2017.

• Voted to provide student accidental insurance with district funds.

• Approved appropriate funds for the school lunch program, and established school lunch ticket prices of $2.40 for the middle and high schools, $2.30 for the elementary school, $3.30 for adults, $.40 for reduced lunches, and $.30 for extra milk. Breakfast prices were set at $1.40, and $.30 for reduced-price.

District administrators then discussed their 2015-16 successes and their goals for the 2016-17 academic year.

Elementary school principal Betsey Haltinner detailed the accomplishments of the elementary school in 2015. She stated proficiency rates had risen above 70 percent in four of six grades, while the other two grades remained in the 60s. She also talked about the integrated science and social studies units, which were used to help students tie things they were learning in language arts and math together.

Haltinner introduced a “Leader’s Lunch” program in the school in 2015, and classroom leaders were treated to a special lunch on a monthly basis.

The school converted to trimesters in 2015, leading to some adjustments in performance indicators and instruction plans for teachers.

Finally, Haltinner spoke about the active relationship between parents and teachers in the elementary school, touching on events like Holiday Family Fun Night, Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, and Scholastic book fairs.

Haltinner is looking forward to improving the proficiency rates at all grade levels in reading and math for 2017. She also wants to update the outcomes of the integrated science and social studies units to be able to better assess the programs.

She hopes to continue strengthening the positive behavior intervention support programming in the school and to maintain the supportive relationship between parents and teachers.

Patrick Gretzlock provided a recap of the successes for the middle and high schools in 2015. The district implemented a seven-period school day in 2015, and during one period, students could speak to teachers or counselors about things important to them, seek assistance with issues either at home or at school, and take time to talk to one another.

Gretzlock noted that since implementation of this program, failure rates dropped nearly 18 percentage points.

Other programs Gretzlock implemented in 2015 were DEAR time (Drop Everything and Read), which took place every Thursday for 25 minutes.

“There was a lot of resistance from both students and teachers at first,” he said of the program, “but partway through the year, everyone really seemed to get into it.”

He also created a “student of the month” program in partnership with the Tribune Press Reporter. This publicly recognized students who might not be recognized in any other way, but whose contributions matched or exceeded those of other students.

Looking forward to 2016, Gretzlock would like to work on reading and math scores through the Read 180 and Math 180 programs. These programs are intended to assist students in meeting grade-level standards in both subjects.

He would also like to continue building strong relationships with his staff.

Nicole Brite, the district director of pupil services and special education, discussed her role as an instructional coach. She visited every classroom in the district at least once in the 2015-16 school year, and had many constructive, enlightening conversations with instructors.

Brite also worked with all teaching staff to schedule assessments and analyzed the data from the assessments performed.

She hopes to keep doing the same in 2016-17, and wants to work with special education and general education staff to successfully and effectively include all special education students in the general education classroom.

Meeting clerk Lori Klinger read the minutes, which were approved on a motion from Mrdutt and a second from Tryn Gross.

Shawn DeWitt moved to adjourn the meeting and was seconded by Dr. Lisa Kaiser. The assembled community and board members voted unanimously to adjourn.