Cliff Buchan
News EditorOfficials in ISD 831 will continue to study ways in which district residents can raise and donate funds to restore programs and activities lost to budget cuts.
The school board Monday got its first look at Policy 604 ó support of non-curricular activities using donated funds. The school board in April requested the policy committee take up the topic after parents requested a drive to fund the cheerleading program at the high school.
It is one of the programs that will be cut as part of the districtís $2 million budget reduction process for the 2004-2005 school year.
The first draft of Policy 604 spells out details as to how citizens can donate funds and sets time lines for the process. The district will determine costs needed for activities and make sure Title IX requirements are followed. Volunteer coaching positions must also be approved by the board.
All final decisions on donations would fall to the board, the policy stipulates.
Board member Keith Dunham questioned the definition of ìnon-curricularî activities. He also questioned how the policy would work in the event a foundation or business may wish to donate funds to preserve a specific program or teaching position.
Board member Karen Morehead, an early proponent of the policy, said the intent was to establish a system that would provide guidelines and rules to parents who want to raise funds to save an activity lost because of budget cuts. It would not apply to curricular needs such as teaching positions, she said.
With the district already receiving numerous donations ó some in large amounts ó from parent-teacher groups, Dunham said it was ìall the more reasonî for the district to address donations in other fashions.
Board member Rob Rapheal agreed. Although he was in agreement with the proposed policy, Rapheal said a second policy to address larger donations might be in order.
The policy would allow no special privileges for donors and advertising would not be tied to any donations.
That prompted member Joe Grafft to question the districtís policy on signage and other advertising as a revenue source. With the exception of the ice arena, signage has not been tapped as a revenue source, board members said, adding that the issue is a topic the board may need to address.
Grafft was pleased that the policy provided board approval for volunteer coaches. Grafft praised the efforts of volunteers but said the district should be doing background checks on all individuals working with students.
Right now, said Donley Johnson, director of administration and human resources, background checks take place on all school employees, but some volunteers may not be checked.
ìThis policy should help with that,î Johnson said.
ìEverybody should be checked,î Grafft said.
With questions still remaining, the policy will go back to the boardís policy committee on May 24 for revision. The board will have its second reading of the policy on Monday, June 7 and board action could come at that meeting.
Meeting change
After several months of review, the board has agreed to change its meeting dates.
Starting in July, regular board meetings will take place on the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. The third Thursday of the month will be devoted to board committee meetings.
The 7-0 decision ends a more than two decade tradition of having regular meetings on Monday. Member Dean Barr, the architect of the switch, said Thursday night meetings would give the administration more time in the week to prepare for meetings and would end conflicts with Monday evening school activities.
Having made the change, President Bill Bresin said the board on June 7 will decide when its first July meeting will actually take place. Under the new schedule the first meeting in July would fall on July 1, but because of the July 4 holiday weekend, that meeting could be pushed back, possibly to Thursday, July 8.
Budget adjustment
A $100,000 positive budget adjustment for the 2003-2004 year was approved 7-0 by the board this week.
As of May, the district is reporting $600,000 in additional revenues and additional expenditures of $500,000 for the $100,000 increase in the districtís fund balance.
The district reported collecting $800,000 in property taxes and $200,000 in local revenues and fees beyond projections, but saw a decline of $400,000 in general education aid.
On the expenditure side, the district had the following adjustments: $65,000, Goodview Ave. assessments; $100,000, ALC summer school; $200,000, capital expenditure technology; $35,000, Title II licensed substitutes; and $100,000, contracted services for ECSE special education.
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