Lakewood prepares for budget issues

By Gail Peckler-Dziki ~ Correspondent

Lakewood Elementary School held a special meeting May 11 for non-renewals of staff. District Administrator Joe Price said that the school is bound by statue to issue preliminary non-renewal in late April, with final non-renewals by May 15.

“We will have preliminary school aid figures by July 1,” he explained. “In my correspondence with the DPI (Department of Public Instruction), I have been told that the best-case scenario is a zero percent increase; worst case a 15 percent reduction in state aid.”

Price also explained that if state aid decreases, the districts budgetary authority could be adjusted. He also stated that ACT 10 is a tool that allows districts some flexibility in dealing with budgetary issues.

The librarian, who is at 50 percent, was non-renewed. Price said that the money used to fund that position came from federal stimulus money two years ago. “That has ended,” he explained. “We will need to do some budget restructuring in order to reinstate that position.”

The school is also in need of a 20 percent Spanish teacher. Previously, one teacher was 80 percent music and 20 percent Spanish. “She was working on a provisional license that she did not keep up,” Price explained. “I have been talking to other districts and will keep posting that position.”

A closed session was held on May 11 prior to the open session for the purpose of a private hearing for one teacher who was non-renewed for performance issues. The position is posted and Price said it would be filled by the time school starts.

 

Open enrollment numbers

Currently Lakewood has 90 students from its district who attend other schools through the open enrollment program and 15 students that have opted in.

This year, there are 46 new applications to go out, with 15 asking to come in. Price says that the numbers are moving in the right direction.

“About half the students with application out have siblings who attend other schools. The other half may have applications to several other schools and have never been inside our school,” Price said. “We work with families to give them information including personally guided tours so they can see the value of sending their children to Lakewood.”

Price said that none of these numbers are final until the first day of school when students actually walk through Lakewood’s doors.

 

 


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