SLE School Board
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) school board discussed teacher contracts, proposed solutions to the budget shortfall and the 2017-2018 calendar at their April 18 meeting. The proposed budget and calendar are expected to be approved at a special meeting in the next couple of weeks.
The teachers’ union and SLE staff agreed to no raises for next year. The contract negotiations included a request for a 25 minute duty-free lunch period which is similar to what is currently in place.
The negotiations committee is still waiting on language to define domestic partner as it applies to taking sick leave, vacation or bereavement for someone determined a domestic partner.
“We are just preparing ourselves for somewhere down the line, the question is going to come up,” said Board Chair Todd Johnson. “We are addressing [the language] for same sex partners, for partners that are living together and common law marriages.”
Stout said they are looking at nearly a $120,000 deficit next year compared to this year’s budget. The shortfall is linked to rising costs due to salary increases, inflationary costs for supplies and health insurance and lower enrollment.
State funding is paid per student and is based on the higher of either the current year’s enrollment or a three-year average. Enrollment has been fairly stable the last three years running just fewer than 170 but in 2014 the school had an enrollment of more than 180 thus bringing up the average.
Last May, SLE ran a $17,000 levy that taxpayers approved to make up the budget shortfall for the 2016-2017 school year.
At the February meeting, Superintendent Chris Stout recommended they find ways to absorb the projected budget deficit rather than going to the taxpayer for a levy for the 2017-2018 school year.
Recommendations made by the budget committee to help absorb the shortfall include:
• Eliminate the Title 1 position and shift the cost-savings from the salary into the school-wide title program to offset salary costs for all teachers.
• While still adhering to the foundational philosophy of International Baccalaureate, SLE will not pay the fees associated with the program. “I think with the preliminary training and work that we have done, we can probably carry forward with the underlying values of the program without actually paying the corporate fees,” said Stout. The fees are around $10,000 per year. Stout said they have paid less than $1,000 so far in program fees.
• Forgo curriculum expenditures for the upcoming school year. Stout said updating just one subject area in kindergarten through sixth grade or junior high could cost up to $30,000. Stout and the committee felt this was reasonable because the teachers are creative and the Internet can supplement
• Reduce the number of paraprofessionals on staff.
• Cut current cleaning contract in half, saving around $17,000. The union and staff agreed that they would pick up some of the cleaning duties to save costs.
The board still needs to approve the final budget. While there are still some funding sources that may be available if approved by the State Legislature, Stout does not expect a significant increase or decrease in the general funding for the District.
The board discussed the proposed school calendar. Stout matched it as closely as possible to Missoula County Public Schools. Thursday early out was eliminated. One Friday per quarter will be a day off for students and a professional development day for teachers. He is still working with MCPS to assign these days.
In the proposed calendar SLE would start Sept. 5 and end June 1, 2018. Breaks include: Fall break, Oct. 19-20; Thanksgiving, Nov. 22-24; winter break, Dec. 25-Jan. 2; Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 15; Presidents Day, Feb. 19 and Spring Break, March 26-April 3.
The calendar will be approved at the next meeting.
In other business:
• Paraprofessional Nancy Miller resigned her position effective immediately due to the budget shortfall and for family reasons.
• The District cancelled their election. They will approve Todd Johnson by acclamation at the May meeting. The board also appointed Ryen Neudecker to fill the open seat left by Justin Loconte. She will serve a one-year term and then be up for re-election.
• The board approved hiring Erin Lynch as an Assistant Track Coach, Misty Dennis as a substitute teacher pending a background check and Heather Mincey as District Clerk/Business Manager effective April 24.
• The board approved hiring all recommended classified, certified, tenured and administrative staff.
• Stout’s contract ends June 30. The board approved a new three-year contract for Stout with no increase in wages. An amendment to the contract included sick leave and vacation buy-out for anything more than 30 days in March of each year. This will be paid out in April this year.
The next regularly scheduled board meeting with be Wednesday, May 17 at 5:30 p.m.
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