New school finance bill discussed by RV board

The new state finance plan for education is set to increase Royal Valley’s capital outlay fund by $42,731 and decrease its local option budget supplemental general fund by $63,173, board of education members learned Monday.

The new bill, which was passed Friday, bumps up school finance by $38 million statewide by taking funds from several areas, including funds from the sale of Bioscience Authority Property and Assets and funds from a settlement agreement between the state and tobacco companies. 

Superintendent John Rundle and new superintendent Aaric Davis explained the new bill and how it affects the school district. This was Rundle’s last school board meeting prior to his retirement. Davis’ first official day as superintendent is July 1.

Davis said that any school district that receives less LOB state aid in the 2016-2017 school year than in the previous year, which results in a mill rate increase of 2.5 mills or more, can appeal for funding under the extraordinary needs state aid program.

Royal Valley, however, doesn’t qualify since the mill rate increase will be closer to 2.1 or 2.2 mills, it was reported.

“On the positive, the capital outlay fund will increase some,” Davis said. “It’s not the best case scenario, but it could have been worse.”

The difference between the increase in capital outlay and the decrease in the supplemental general fund is $21,442, which will have to be covered through local taxes. The district’s assessed valuation did go up this year, which will automatically help cover that difference.

Legislative researchers said 77 of the state’s 286 districts would lose some aid, 169 would gain and 40 would see no change. 

In other business, the board:

* Approved consent items.

* Approved changes to the student and staff handbooks at all three schools, as well as changes to the transportation and coaches’ handbooks.

Noah Slay, Royal Valley Elementary School principal, presented minor changes to the school’s handbook, which included updating the wording regarding the school’s crisis plan that was revised last year and the pick-up process for parents. 

Next, Jim Holloman, Royal Valley High School principal, said that a new section outlying the district’s contract with Providence Working Canines was added to the school’s handbook.

The company’s canines will perform random sweeps of the building, parking lot and grounds for drugs several times a year. 

Additional wording was added to the dress code to state that the hood on a sweatshirt can’t be worn up. 

“That policy has always been a given but was never written in our handbook,” Holloman said. 

John Linn, Royal Valley Middle School principal, was unable to attend the meeting, but Davis reported on new changes at the school in Mayetta this upcoming school year. 

The dress code was changed at the middle school to allow spandex pants only if a long top is worn with them. 

New information on Providence Working Canines was also added, as well as an update to the master class schedule.

At the middle school, the school’s nine periods are being reduced to eight to allow more time for professional learning community work. 

Jeff Gustin, athletic and transportation director, also presented changes to the coaches’ handbooks.

One of the biggest changes is that all the teams at the middle and high schools are now required to implement some sort of community service project.

“About a third of the teams already did something this past year,” Gustin said. “But we’re going to be encouraging all of them to do something.”

The handbook also outlines the steps taken when a student wants to compete in two sports during one season.

“This year we had two kids in the spring that wanted to double,” Gustin said. “To do that, both coaches have to agree and then they make a calendar to determine which practice that student is going to each day. We don’t allow the student to determine that. The parents and students like that because it takes the stress off the kid and they don’t have to worry about making one coach mad.”

* Approved the early payment of special education cooperative funds to the Holton Cooperative for 2016-2017 school year. 

* Approved June 30 transfers and ending cash balances for the 2015-2016 school year. 

The board agreed to put $15,000 in remaining funds into the district’s contingency fund, which currently has a balance of $365,000.34.

Additional leftover funds will be split between capital outlay and special education funds. 

With more and more delayed payments from the state each year, the board agreed to continue to build up the district’s contingency fund in order to, at some point, have enough funds to cover one month of payroll, which is $500,000 for the district. 

* Agreed to offer a bus driver position to Randal Spencer and an assistant high school volleyball coach position to Maycee Howe.

* Met in executive session for 10 minute to discuss non-elected personnel and teacher salary negotiations with Rundle and Davis.

The board did not take any action back in open session.

* Adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m. All board members were present.