Superintendent reports on finances, enrollment, CTE grant and design workshops

Business Manager Lauren Babbitt presented the district's financial memo and told the committee the general fund and other funds are in a position to close out the year on time, with at least one more amendment expected as staff finalize accounts for audit. "We just, the shared service office just build out for our grama, so we should be getting a nice income there," Babbitt said while summarizing year-to-date receipts and outstanding tuition collections.

The superintendent reported active enrollment monitoring, several staff resignations (including the HR manager, a tech teacher and a school psychologist), and ongoing hiring for summer and fall programming. Staff confirmed a substitute nurse who worked last year was hired into a full-time role and that a district Title IX coordinator was appointed.

Design and teaching highlights included courtyard design workshops that incorporated student and teacher input and grant-funded design work (identified as Van Buren funding for design). Staff described renderings for flexible furniture, outdoor learning spaces and multi-use cafeteria arrangements designed to support instruction and adult use after hours. The superintendent said the district will pursue implementation grants for construction phases.

Staff also noted a CTE implementation grant with a referenced check-in-hand amount of more than $900,000 for equipment such as CNC milling machines, a lathe and a laser cutter, and that purchasing coordination will continue with consultants. Technology hiring was in its latter interview stages and AP participation and scores were reported to have improved year over year.

The superintendent invited committee members on a building visit scheduled for August 7 and encouraged continued site tours while construction progresses.