The Carmi-White County School Board met for the first time Tuesday night in the new building at the Jefferson Attendance Center. Superintendant Brad Lee presented the Board with a report of the District’s cost containment strategy. The four year plan began in fiscal year 2012-13 and of this fiscal year, the District has saved just over $2 million, despite having lost about $2.1million in state funds over a five year period.
Lee also presented the first draft of the Board policy manual completed by the Illinois Association of School Boards policy consultant. Lee will review the manual and present recommendations to the Board at a future meeting so members can make any changes they feel necessary.
Jason Eckleberry, a representative of Midwest Bus Sales, addressed the Board explaining the features of the new buses the District is leasing and took the Board members on a brief tour of one of the new buses. The final bus being leased should be delivered Thursday morning.
The District has received a total of $2.5 million from state aid, local, and state payments and from taxes. The state still owes about $130,000.
In the Superintendant’s report, Brad Lee said that the District’s most recent enrollment figures show that it has 1,413 students, up 60 students from last year at this time.
Before today, just one emergency day has been used this school year. If no more emergency days are utilized, the last student attendance day would be May 24th and the last day for staff will be May 25th.
By the time March rolls around, the District could see a reduction in revenues from the education budget.
The Board Scholars for the first semester of the school year were announced. There were nine Freshmen, 13 Sophomores, seven Juniors, and 13 Seniors.
Approved was a maternity leave request from Karissa Wilson, Special Education teacher at Brownsville School, effective February 8th; the retirement of Roger Smith, part time custodian at Brownsville and Lincoln; and a $500 donation to the Brownsville School.
There will be a special Board meeting Saturday, January 30th at 9am at Jefferson Attendance Center to review current goals and objectives for Unit Five and to plan future meetings.
The Board went into closed session at 7:46pm and employed Sarah Richards as a Special Education classroom aide at Jefferson Attendance Center for the remainder of the school year to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Gary Keck.
