A group of concerned citizens braved snowy weather for a regular School Board meeting in the Crestwood K-8 cafeteria on Monday, Feb. 1 to hear ways the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District is considering reducing expenses to the General Fund for the 2010-2011 school year.
Expenses must be reduced by $1.5 million, according to school officials, and failure to do so will result in the District overspending on its legal spending limit. Should overspending occur, the District would be required to implement a spending reduction plan in accordance with the Department of Education.
According to Superintendent Brian Ney on the District’s Web site: “We must reduce ongoing regular expenses to the General Fund. Building projects, technology and transportation purchases do not come from the General Fund, so changing spending patterns on those items does not help. Delaying General Fund expenses for a year does not correct the problem. The District is spending more than we take in, and our ‘savings’ from previous years has been carrying us. The savings will be all but gone by the end of this school year. Districts of all sizes in the state are facing these same issues.”
“If we don’t make cuts, our projected budget would exceed our revenue, and that is illegal,” said Ney at the Feb. 1 Board meeting. “Spending authority is what we’re talking about cutting. We want to be proactive and fix this before [the Department of Education] comes to us.”
Thus recently, each Board member recommended names of persons who would want to participate on a Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, which was comprised of 12 people who met regularly over the months of December and January to discuss possible options for cutting expenses. The Committee included community members, teachers, principals and Superintendent Ney as a non-voting member, there to provide information about the task at hand. The Committee met a total of six times for three hours per meeting. During the presentation, Ney said Committee members shared their ideas openly during the meetings, and while some ideas were developed further, others were deemed unworkable.
During the Board meeting, Ney used a PowerPoint presentation to present the committee’s six options pertaining to spending reduction. The options are listed in no particular order. Each of the four options—broken down as “Group 1”, “Group 2”, “Group 3” and “Group4a”, “Group 4b” and “Group 4c”—recommends four common items for a total projected savings of $542,778:
•Bring all sixth-graders from Elma, Lime Springs and Ridgeway to Cresco, saving the District an estimated $65,000.
•Make changes in the high school, such as implementing larger section sizes, giving teachers seven classes where possible and taking on staff reductions, which would save the District an estimated $203,350.
•Reduce athletic travel, which would save an estimated $5,000.
•Implementation of the Retirement Incentive Plan, saving an estimated $269,428. However, the amount of savings here will ultimately depend on how many employees choose to take the incentive plan. “Right now it’s very difficult to calculate the savings here,” said Ney. “It might be that we’ll save more than $250,000, we won’t know until March 5 [the deadline for District employees who are 55 years of age or older to accept the retirement package].”
In addition to the common four items, Group 1 looks to create a multi-age learning atmosphere for the outlying centers’ PK-3, saving a projected $748,411—for a total projected savings of $1,291,189.
Group 2 includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; creating a multi-age atmosphere for children from the outlying centers who are in PK-5, saving $262,600 and reducing one principal position, saving an estimated $101,003—for a total projected savings of $906,381.
Group 3 includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; closing the Elma and Ridgeway centers, saving an estimated $1,127,796—for a total projected savings of $1,670,574.
Group 4a includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; closing the Ridgeway center, saving an estimated $555,301; creating a multi-age learning atmosphere for the Elma and Lime Springs centers, saving an estimated $90,000; reducing one principal position, saving an estimated $101,003; eliminating one bus route, saving an estimated $35,000; eliminating the shuttle, saving $12,000—for a total projected savings of $1,336,082.
Group 4b is the same as 4a, except the bus route and shuttle would not be eliminated—saving a projected $1,227,320.
Group 4c includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; closing the Lime Springs center, saving an estimated $550,758; creating a multi-age learning atmosphere for the Ridgeway and Elma centers, saving an estimated $90,000; reducing one principal position, saving an estimated $101,003; adding two bus routes, which would cost an additional $70,000—for a total projected savings of $1,214,539.
Aside from the six main groups of options, other considerations include dropping the activity bus entirely, for an estimated $40,000 in savings; dropping the activity bus after the fall junior high sports season is over, for an estimated $30,000 in savings; charging a fee for the activity bus, about $20 to $25 per student; eliminating double routing, saving an estimated $15,000; if the Elma Center closes, however, double routing may become an increased cost of about $15,000.
Also suggested, through collective bargaining, which cannot be mandated by a Board action, are a salary freeze for all employees at $300,000 and decreased health insurance benefits at $225,000.
According to Ney during the presentation, other possibilities for the Board to consider were discussed by the Committee, however specific savings estimations could not be assigned. Other possibilities included:
•Shared Superintendent
•Added responsibilities to Superintendent
•Supervisor of Buildings & Grounds assigned differently
•Try to get more volunteers for ticket-taking and/or announcing at school events
•Principals & Superintendent take care of Curriculum Director responsibilities
•Drop separate Reading and English classes for junior high
•Charge students for college course textbooks
•Examine ways to reduce utility costs
Ney said during the presentation that “total savings will depend on the number of employees needed, which depends on how the District decides to educate the students. Open enrollment losses will also depend on how the District decides to educate the students, and junior high changes will depend on where teachers can be shared with the high school.”
Following the presentation, the public was invited to ask questions and share comments pertaining to the situation. Jim Kitchen, whose 8-year-old son Harry attends the Lime Springs center, approached the Board. “I think the Board is doing a good job, [but] everything we’re talking about is negative. We need to cut back, we’re trying to tell everybody to get by with just a little less,” he said. “What would it take to get other kids to want to come to our school?”
Kitchen told the Times Plain Dealer that as a parent, he only wants what is best for his child. “As the school is faced with decisions of cuts or growth, they [the District] do have a choice in that matter and the parent has the same choices: to cut or to grow,” he said. “Every parent wants the best for their child, and I guess if it’s not available here, we’ll have to do our research.”
Kitchen says he is concerned about the quality of education students like his son will receive once spending cuts are made. “Personally I’m not objecting to closing all the outlying schools and bringing everybody to Cresco, but what will be the quality of the education?” he said. “Ultimately, what are you going to offer? Why would you want to come to our school?”
To Kitchen, there is an allure to having a small-town school. “What do we have to offer in a small community? Peace and tranquility—that’s something you don’t have in a big city, but we have it here,” he said. “I’m not objecting to consolidating at all, but what are you [as a school district] going to do? I’m looking out for my boy.”
Kitchen says he understands that the reduced spending deliberations will continue on, and he respects the decisions the Board must make. “The debate will go on and on, you guys debate that, but I want to know what your quality [of education] is going to be,”?he said. “Open enrollment is available—it’s a two-way street, you can go to the outlying areas or they can come to us.”
Suggested during the meeting was the idea that perhaps a publicity campaign would be useful in bringing students from other centers to Cresco. However, it was also suggested that once a school district begins talking about closing schools, kids are already lost to open enrollment. “We’re going to end up losing kids no matter what. If you think you’re going to close schools, I think you should talk to people yesterday,” said one concerned citizen.
Another concerned citizen commented, “Everything that you guys suggest affects the children, why don’t we do something that doesn’t? If you can share a superintendent, why can’t you share principals?”
Ney responded: “Deciding to get by on fewer principals—that’s a decision the Board can do, but I think you’d be asking too much…You have to think about the adults, too. Can they do the job? PK-5 with one principal—I think that would be really tough.”
Some District employees seem to be wondering if their jobs will be cut—urging the Board to make a decision as quickly as possible. Two teachers commented about these concerns: “I know this is a tough decision for the Board. It’s a lot of money. We do know there are openings in Decorah and other areas, we need a decision made as soon as possible.”
Another teacher commented: “I do want you to make an educated decision. Make the decision for the longevity of the school district, but I do need to know,” she said. “I don’t want to go through the interview process again, I don’t want to leave at the drop of a dime, but I do need to know.”
However, Board officials said they would like to wait to see what’s going to happen with the collective bargaining and the Retirement Incentive Plan, which are savings that cannot be determined until at least the month of March. It was also suggested that more time should be used to gather as much additional information about reducing spending as possible.
The special School Board Work Session scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8, pertaining to the 2010-2011 General Fund expenditure reduction, including School Advisory Committee recommendations, has been rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. due to inclement weather.
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A group of concerned citizens braved snowy weather for a regular School Board meeting in the Crestwood K-8 cafeteria on Monday, Feb. 1 to hear ways the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District is considering reducing expenses to the General Fund for the 2010-2011 school year.
Expenses must be reduced by $1.5 million, according to school officials, and failure to do so will result in the District overspending on its legal spending limit. Should overspending occur, the District would be required to implement a spending reduction plan in accordance with the Department of Education.
According to Superintendent Brian Ney on the District’s Web site: “We must reduce ongoing regular expenses to the General Fund. Building projects, technology and transportation purchases do not come from the General Fund, so changing spending patterns on those items does not help. Delaying General Fund expenses for a year does not correct the problem. The District is spending more than we take in, and our ‘savings’ from previous years has been carrying us. The savings will be all but gone by the end of this school year. Districts of all sizes in the state are facing these same issues.”
“If we don’t make cuts, our projected budget would exceed our revenue, and that is illegal,” said Ney at the Feb. 1 Board meeting. “Spending authority is what we’re talking about cutting. We want to be proactive and fix this before [the Department of Education] comes to us.”
Thus recently, each Board member recommended names of persons who would want to participate on a Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, which was comprised of 12 people who met regularly over the months of December and January to discuss possible options for cutting expenses. The Committee included community members, teachers, principals and Superintendent Ney as a non-voting member, there to provide information about the task at hand. The Committee met a total of six times for three hours per meeting. During the presentation, Ney said Committee members shared their ideas openly during the meetings, and while some ideas were developed further, others were deemed unworkable.
During the Board meeting, Ney used a PowerPoint presentation to present the committee’s six options pertaining to spending reduction. The options are listed in no particular order. Each of the four options—broken down as “Group 1”, “Group 2”, “Group 3” and “Group4a”, “Group 4b” and “Group 4c”—recommends four common items for a total projected savings of $542,778:
•Bring all sixth-graders from Elma, Lime Springs and Ridgeway to Cresco, saving the District an estimated $65,000.
•Make changes in the high school, such as implementing larger section sizes, giving teachers seven classes where possible and taking on staff reductions, which would save the District an estimated $203,350.
•Reduce athletic travel, which would save an estimated $5,000.
•Implementation of the Retirement Incentive Plan, saving an estimated $269,428. However, the amount of savings here will ultimately depend on how many employees choose to take the incentive plan. “Right now it’s very difficult to calculate the savings here,” said Ney. “It might be that we’ll save more than $250,000, we won’t know until March 5 [the deadline for District employees who are 55 years of age or older to accept the retirement package].”
In addition to the common four items, Group 1 looks to create a multi-age learning atmosphere for the outlying centers’ PK-3, saving a projected $748,411—for a total projected savings of $1,291,189.
Group 2 includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; creating a multi-age atmosphere for children from the outlying centers who are in PK-5, saving $262,600 and reducing one principal position, saving an estimated $101,003—for a total projected savings of $906,381.
Group 3 includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; closing the Elma and Ridgeway centers, saving an estimated $1,127,796—for a total projected savings of $1,670,574.
Group 4a includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; closing the Ridgeway center, saving an estimated $555,301; creating a multi-age learning atmosphere for the Elma and Lime Springs centers, saving an estimated $90,000; reducing one principal position, saving an estimated $101,003; eliminating one bus route, saving an estimated $35,000; eliminating the shuttle, saving $12,000—for a total projected savings of $1,336,082.
Group 4b is the same as 4a, except the bus route and shuttle would not be eliminated—saving a projected $1,227,320.
Group 4c includes the common four items, for $542,778 in savings; closing the Lime Springs center, saving an estimated $550,758; creating a multi-age learning atmosphere for the Ridgeway and Elma centers, saving an estimated $90,000; reducing one principal position, saving an estimated $101,003; adding two bus routes, which would cost an additional $70,000—for a total projected savings of $1,214,539.
Aside from the six main groups of options, other considerations include dropping the activity bus entirely, for an estimated $40,000 in savings; dropping the activity bus after the fall junior high sports season is over, for an estimated $30,000 in savings; charging a fee for the activity bus, about $20 to $25 per student; eliminating double routing, saving an estimated $15,000; if the Elma Center closes, however, double routing may become an increased cost of about $15,000.
Also suggested, through collective bargaining, which cannot be mandated by a Board action, are a salary freeze for all employees at $300,000 and decreased health insurance benefits at $225,000.
According to Ney during the presentation, other possibilities for the Board to consider were discussed by the Committee, however specific savings estimations could not be assigned. Other possibilities included:
•Shared Superintendent
•Added responsibilities to Superintendent
•Supervisor of Buildings & Grounds assigned differently
•Try to get more volunteers for ticket-taking and/or announcing at school events
•Principals & Superintendent take care of Curriculum Director responsibilities
•Drop separate Reading and English classes for junior high
•Charge students for college course textbooks
•Examine ways to reduce utility costs
Ney said during the presentation that “total savings will depend on the number of employees needed, which depends on how the District decides to educate the students. Open enrollment losses will also depend on how the District decides to educate the students, and junior high changes will depend on where teachers can be shared with the high school.”
Following the presentation, the public was invited to ask questions and share comments pertaining to the situation. Jim Kitchen, whose 8-year-old son Harry attends the Lime Springs center, approached the Board. “I think the Board is doing a good job, [but] everything we’re talking about is negative. We need to cut back, we’re trying to tell everybody to get by with just a little less,” he said. “What would it take to get other kids to want to come to our school?”
Kitchen told the Times Plain Dealer that as a parent, he only wants what is best for his child. “As the school is faced with decisions of cuts or growth, they [the District] do have a choice in that matter and the parent has the same choices: to cut or to grow,” he said. “Every parent wants the best for their child, and I guess if it’s not available here, we’ll have to do our research.”
Kitchen says he is concerned about the quality of education students like his son will receive once spending cuts are made. “Personally I’m not objecting to closing all the outlying schools and bringing everybody to Cresco, but what will be the quality of the education?” he said. “Ultimately, what are you going to offer? Why would you want to come to our school?”
To Kitchen, there is an allure to having a small-town school. “What do we have to offer in a small community? Peace and tranquility—that’s something you don’t have in a big city, but we have it here,” he said. “I’m not objecting to consolidating at all, but what are you [as a school district] going to do? I’m looking out for my boy.”
Kitchen says he understands that the reduced spending deliberations will continue on, and he respects the decisions the Board must make. “The debate will go on and on, you guys debate that, but I want to know what your quality [of education] is going to be,”?he said. “Open enrollment is available—it’s a two-way street, you can go to the outlying areas or they can come to us.”
Suggested during the meeting was the idea that perhaps a publicity campaign would be useful in bringing students from other centers to Cresco. However, it was also suggested that once a school district begins talking about closing schools, kids are already lost to open enrollment. “We’re going to end up losing kids no matter what. If you think you’re going to close schools, I think you should talk to people yesterday,” said one concerned citizen.
Another concerned citizen commented, “Everything that you guys suggest affects the children, why don’t we do something that doesn’t? If you can share a superintendent, why can’t you share principals?”
Ney responded: “Deciding to get by on fewer principals—that’s a decision the Board can do, but I think you’d be asking too much…You have to think about the adults, too. Can they do the job? PK-5 with one principal—I think that would be really tough.”
Some District employees seem to be wondering if their jobs will be cut—urging the Board to make a decision as quickly as possible. Two teachers commented about these concerns: “I know this is a tough decision for the Board. It’s a lot of money. We do know there are openings in Decorah and other areas, we need a decision made as soon as possible.”
Another teacher commented: “I do want you to make an educated decision. Make the decision for the longevity of the school district, but I do need to know,” she said. “I don’t want to go through the interview process again, I don’t want to leave at the drop of a dime, but I do need to know.”
However, Board officials said they would like to wait to see what’s going to happen with the collective bargaining and the Retirement Incentive Plan, which are savings that cannot be determined until at least the month of March. It was also suggested that more time should be used to gather as much additional information about reducing spending as possible.
The special School Board Work Session scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8, pertaining to the 2010-2011 General Fund expenditure reduction, including School Advisory Committee recommendations, has been rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. due to inclement weather.
Open enrollment deadline: Parents wanting to Open Enroll their child from one Iowa school district to another must file the form with both the resident and receiving district by March 1 of each year. The deadline for parents Open Enrolling a kindergarten student is September 1. There are a few specific "Good Cause" reasons for Open Enrollment applications filed after the deadline that would excuse the late application.
According to the Department of Education, the closing of a building is not considered to be "Good Cause" for missing the March 1 deadline, even if a decision is made after that date.
