The Board approved next year’s preliminary tax levy. It’s against the property values of 2015. It will be extended in the summer of 2016 and they’ll begin spending the money during the 2016-17 school year, beginning July 1st of 2016. The final projected total tax rate is lower than the 2014 rate. A truth in taxation advertisement will be published. Final approval will be at the December Board meeting.
They also renewed the district worker’s compensation insurance after a recommendation from Bushue human resources. It’s a renewal of last year’s coverage through Ramza insurance group for a total premium of $84,934, which is a 12% decrease from expiring premiums due in part to decreased payrolls and modified rates for the renewal.
The Board approved Superintendent Brad Lee’s recommendation of district transportation secretary Laura Lowery as school treasurer for the remainder of this school year effective December 9th.
The stipend for the boys and girls tennis teams for the 2016-17 school year was reinstated after four years of the program being funded by the booster club. The cost will be $2,504 for each team with transportation and supplies being paid by the booster club.
Also approved was the 2015-16 school improvement plans for each building as well as the district improvement plan. Director of Instruction Dr. Amy Dixon said that reading and math were the main focus of instruction for the children. She said scores at the high school level were above the state average. Test scored have not been released by the state yet, but should be in a couple of weeks.
In the superintendent’s report, Brad Lee said the new building at Jefferson has been completed except for a few door fixtures. The next step is to get necessary items for each office classroom, such as tables, desks and chairs.
The pre-k playground is close to completion. 75% of the fence work is complete. The equipment needs to be readjusted and the mulch spread, which should be done in a couple of weeks.
They received their first check from the county schools facility tax for $50,079.
Mr. Newell was named 2015-16 Egyptian region principal of the year.
Bart King, Unit Five Transportation Director, provided an update on the district’s transportation. Due to the factory where busses are leased are backed up, the district was given four busses, including one with a chair lift for the Brownsville school, at no cost. The district should have six new busses in January. They saved $13,000 in fuel this year because of a low fuel bid and using less fuel because of the newer busses. Maintenance costs have also gone down.
The Board also accepted the low bid of Ray Yates fire extinguisher sales and service for servicing the fire extinguisher equipment.
They accepted the resignations of Loretta Buttry as a district school bus driver and Junior/Senior High School noon supervisor effective December 31st and Carla Gott as noon hour supervisor at Lincoln school effective October 20th.
Also accepted was $2,800 in donations to the Brownsville school.
The Board went into closed session at 7:56 p.m.
In the executive session, the Board approved Angela Bartley, Loralee Belden, Karlene Garrett, Julia Grant, Kelly Northcott, and Connie Simmons as building volunteers for the remainder of the school year and hired Connie Leggett as head cook at Jefferson School for the remainder of the school year to replace Sarah Puntney.
