Volume 4, Issue 1
This
Issue
Year 4
Opening of School
Early Dismissal-Sep 6
Upcoming Events
Next Edition
Central
Columbia
School
SUPERINTENDENT’S CORNER—YEAR 4:
This is year four of our
bi-weekly on-line newsletter. I try to send you updates on things
happening around the district and other pertinent (sometimes not)
information. I hope you find these issues informative. Please call with
suggestions.
OPENING OF SCHOOL:
The opening of school went as
smoothly as could be expected considering the obstacles. Thanks and kudos
to all staff who worked over the summer to prepare our buildings, grounds,
schedules, supplies, etc. for the start of school. Thank you as well to
the incredible amount of work that occurred in the few days leading up to
the start of school. It has been said that having unusual pressures
brings out the best in people, and the worst. Fortunately, in many, many,
many people, we see the best! Have a great year!
EARLY DISMISSAL—SEPTEMBER 6:
The early dismissal yesterday
was caused by a power outage at the elementary school (also the district
office). We were told by authorities that power would be out for 2-3
hours; which would have affected instruction, as well as lunch, at the
elementary school. Procedurally, when we dismiss a building, we prefer to
dismiss all buildings—this allows parents to better coordinate getting
their children home or to caretakers. What was unusual about this
situation was that the elementary school needed to be dismissed first;
thereby changing the normal routine for bus runs. It is also relevant
that, when a decision is made to dismiss early, it takes at least
one hour to get the buses here, then another hour to complete the first
run. Therefore, the second run of buses does not begin until over two
hours after the dismissal call. As a result, when we made the call to
dismiss at about 10:30 a.m., we knew that the second bus run could not
begin until at least 12:30 p.m.
(hence the need to dismiss the elementary school first).
I want to thank everyone for their understanding and help (and
adjustments) in getting students home safely. I also understand that many
(if not all) elementary teachers made calls to their students’ parents or
emergency contacts with personal cell phones. Making these contacts is
certainly above and beyond the call of duty, but also appropriate given
the circumstances—and also, much appreciated. I am certain that these
contacts helped relieve potential problems and made the dismissal go more
smoothly than it could have. Thank you.
ACT 1
If you have not already
heard, Act 1 (The Taxpayer Relief Act) became law this summer and will
significantly impact many aspects of the district. There are too many
details to list them all, but here are some:
1) A
School District’s tentative budget is to be passed 90 days prior to the
municipal (Spring/primary) election. This year that date is February
14. To give you some point of reference, in the past, the tentative
budget was approved in late April or late May. Because of this change
in the law, budget development timelines will need to originate 2 ½ - 3
months earlier than normal. Therefore, on Monday (September 11), the
administration will receive budget development materials for the
2007-2008 fiscal year. Editors Note: I am very aware of the numerous
downsides of this change—but it is now the law!
2) A
School Board is now limited in the amount it can raise property tax
rates. That limit (referred to as the “Index”) has been released by the
Department of Education. For Central Columbia School District’s
2007-2008 budget year, the index is 4.3%. Again, this is the maximum
percentage that the Board can raise property tax rates, without
exceptions, before asking for voter approval through a referendum. A
4.3% increase would bring in approximately $330,000 of new revenue—this
is only about 1.5% of the district’s operating budget revenues.
Again, as a point of reference, this year's increase was 5.0%.
There are other major sources of revenue for the district. They are the
state’s Basic Education Subsidy and the Earned Income Tax. The increase
in the BAS over the last five years has been 3.0%, 2.9%, 1.0%, 1.4%, and
2.1%. We, also, have not seen a significant increase in the Earned
Income Tax. Therefore, the adoption of the “Index” limit causes great
concern about limited revenues.
3) Districts
are required to develop a Tax Study Commission. The purpose of the
Commission is to recommend to the School Board a ballot question for the
spring 2007 election. That ballot question is basically a question, to
the voters, to raise either the Earned Income Tax or Personal Income Tax
to offset further reductions in Property Taxes. It is important to note
that this concept is a tax shift—not a tax reduction. Also, any change
is a dollar-for-dollar shift—all income tax funds collected go to
property tax reduction, not new funding for the district.
TALK TO ME:
This is a reminder that if you
have issues, concerns, questions, comments, or compliments, please feel
free to pull me aside, call me, or stop in and see me. As with your jobs,
I often get tied down with the numerous tasks of my job, and don’t get to
stop, talk, and listen as often as I would like (there are 250 or so of
you). However, as many of you know, I try to get around; but also, return
phone calls and meet, on request, as quickly as possible. Please just let
me know.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Monday, September 18—School
Board Meeting—7:00 p.m., district office board room