School board approves tentative budget for 2016

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

The Emery County School District held a public hearing for input on the 2016 budget and a review of the 2015 budget.
Business Administrator Jared Black gave an overview of the 2016 budget. He said in August they would need to have a truth in taxation hearing to impose a judgment levy. The judgment levy is to replace money which must be paid to a company for a tax adjustment.
This is a tentative 2016 budget which will need approval in August.
It is estimated the enrollment in the fall will be 2,236 students. Any growth in enrollment will benefit the school district. The district has 330 employees including part-time.
The monies of the school district are divided into six funds to operate 70 programs. The 2016 budget is $26,605,085. The 2015 budget was $24,497,236. The sources of revenue for the district come from local, state and federal monies. The state tax levy is set by the Utah State Tax Commission. Money from the state has decreased the past few years.
The amount in the flexible allocation fund has dwindled from $1,700.684 in 2008 to $107,959 for 2016. That was one of the first places the state cut. One funding source that has been very beneficial to the school district is the necessary existent small schools fund which helps schools in rural areas.
The bulk of the budget goes to salaries and benefits for the employees. Money goes each year to the expenses of maintaining all of the schools and buildings and to purchase equipment.
Health insurance was up 14 percent.
Money from the Emery School District must be sent to any charter schools which Emery County students are attending. The amount paid will be $58,000. This is based on a formula devised by the Utah legislature.
The school board voted to approve the 2016 budget.
Superintendent Kirk Sitterud submitted names for approval for the 2015-16 school year. Melinda Durrant – Principal at Castle Dale Elementary
Brandi Tuttle – English Teacher at Emery High
Gaylene Erwin – Teacher at Book Cliff Elementary
Markie Vetere – Teacher at Book Cliff Elementary
Kalynn Fail – Computer Lab Educational Assistant at Castle Dale Elementary
Shaunna Carroll – Library Educational Assistant at Cottonwood Elementary
Amanda Lake – Computer Lab Educational Assistant at Cottonwood Elementary and Lance Whitesel as an assistant swim coach.
Superintendent Sitterud reviewed the policy actions. The state school board ruled all districts must have a written nepotism policy. There were several changes to the law, grandfather, grandmother, grandson and granddaughter were added and step son/daughter were removed from the policy.
The next policy was concerning the posting of political signs on district property. This is not allowed. The item was tabled to allow consideration of when a political party uses a school building to hold a political meeting or convention.
The next policy said school board meetings cannot be held outside of your district boundaries, you can have site visits, but no decisions can be made concerning the school district at a meeting held outside the district.
Some changes are being made in the graduation requirements. Social Studies will be changing to three full credits. A financial literacy class will be required for graduates. Graduates must also pass a civics test. They can begin taking the test as early as seventh grade and it must be passed before graduation. There are 100 questions on the US Citizenship test. The civics test will be comprised of 50 of these questions. Howard Stephenson from the Utah legislature sponsored the bill requiring the civics test.
Schools will also be required to identify and report students as being college ready and to identify levels of competency for higher education purposes.
School community councils will now be responsible for making sure there is a plan for digital citizenship and safe technology with student filter systems in place. The filter is provided by the school district. The community council will help parents teach students to be internet safe. These requirements must be taken into consideration as community councils write school improvement plans.
A notification record is kept if a student has been threatened or bullied or if the student has suicide risk factors. The record includes information about parent notification. A student can request this file be destroyed upon their graduation.
Requirements for the hiring of staff will include a pre-employment screening where a previous employer can be contacted for information regarding a potential employee. Background checks will also be performed and the check will be reviewed by the superintendent for any job related offenses which could include: drug and alcohol offenses, child abuse and violent behavior.
Air conditioning projects at Cottonwood Elementary, Huntington and Ferron were approved for the gymnasiums for $134,916.
There were three bids received for the tennis court resurfacing.
Bid on tennis courts was $20,000 from Sutch Concrete, Inc
The roofing of the Spartan Center and Cottonwood Elementary was approved for $36,375 for Advanced Roofing.
Ralph Worthen will be the new elementary education supervisor for the district. Jed Jensen will move to secondary supervisor and Gwen Callahan will retire.