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Southern Wells School Board members Tuesday evening adopted the 2007 budget, capital projects fund plan and school bus replacement plan.
The $7,019,610 budget relies on $3,120,395 to be raised through property taxes and carries an advertised rate of $1.8355 per $100 assessed valuation based on a district assessed valuation of $170 million.
The rate is expected to drop once the budget is reviewed and approved by the state this fall. “When it’s all said and done, the rates won’t be anywhere near this high,” said Supt. Neil Potter.
The budget was reviewed at the Aug. 16 board meeting and a public hearing was held Sept. 5.
In a budget related matter, board members Lynn Fiechter, Rick Mounsey and Joe Hartley (Chris Smith was absent) gave Potter permission to advertise for an additional appropriation of $95,000 in the 2006 capital projects fund (CPF).
The school corporation was hit by the surprise replacement of the elementary school roof—a project which had been slated for 2008 but the roof failed much quicker than anticipated. That left the CPF a little cash short in the fund for the remainder of the year.
The $95,000 will come from the fund that Potter has accumulated in the CPF for the replacement of the high school gym roof.
“I feel very comfortable that we can do this,” said Potter.
The board also gave Potter permission to advertise a resolution stating that the school corporation is amending its 2006 CPF plan to reflect the changes made to accommodate the roof replacement.
The board members also learned from Potter that following Average Daily Membership (ADM) day Sept. 15, enrollment at Southern Wells this year is 814, down seven from last year’s enrollment of 821.
However, the good news is this year’s kindergarten class is 63 students, up 50 percent from year’s class of 42.
ADM is the number the state uses in calculating its tuition support for schools.
Enrollment is 326 at the elementary school, 144 at the junior high school and 290 at the high school. The high school is where the greatest decrease occurred, down from last year’s enrollment of 299.
A list of winter sports coaches was also approved by the board.
In boys’ basketball, Adam Bontrager will be the varsity coach, Brian Ruble the junior varsity coach and Tyler Caldwell the freshman coach. Rick King will coach eighth grade and Bob Pace seventh grade. A sixth grade coach has not yet been named.
In girls’ basketball John Fouts will return to head the program as varsity coach with Rich Borror serving as junior varsity coach once again and Mark Lefebvre as freshman coach. Angie Slusher will coach eighth grade and Mike Carter will coach both the seventh and sixth grade girls.
Ryan Landis is the varsity wrestling coach and Ben Frey the assistant varsity coach. A junior high coach has yet to be determined.
Cheer coaches have not yet been named.
The board also:
—Approved of making high school principal Chad Yencer the second person in the chain of command for calling school cancellations in case of inclement weather. Potter is the number one person on the list. Also added to the list as third in command was elementary school principal Brett Garrett.
—Appointed Adam Bontreger as junior class sponsor.
—Approved of a resignation by Nicole Pease and Sybil Nusbaumer as cheer coaches. Pease had served as the varsity basketball cheerleading coach and Nusbaumer as junior high football cheer coach.
—Added Jackie Gilbert as a second Sunshine Society sponsor.
—Learned from Potter that the elementary roofing project has been completed and the center light pole on the home side of the football field will need some work once the football season is finished. The pole has a weakening at the top and the plans are to cut the top of the pole off and move the lights down.
—Approved of the annual eight grade field trip to Chicago Oct. 12.
—Approved of trips by the Future Farmers of America chapter to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis Oct. 24-28 and to a soil conference in north central Indiana Nov. 3-4.
—Approved of the senior class trip to Tennessee Nov. 3-6.
—Denied a request by the varsity cheerleaders for a trip to Indianapolis. The denial was made because the trip was scheduled for a Sunday and the school board has a policy that students are not to take field trips on Sundays.
—Approved of various workshop and conference requests.
Tuesday’s meeting was preceded by an executive session to discuss negotiations and the job performance of an individual employee.
The next regular meeting of the board is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m.
glenw@news-banner.com
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