Waynoka superintendent expresses concern over possible financial crunch ahead

 

August 12, 2020



At the Waynoka School Board meeting Monday, Aug. 10, the board listened as Superintendent Scott Cline told them of his concerns about what this year will bring financially.

For one thing, he's seeing a huge drop in gross production revenue.

“We lost $225,000 in gross production last year alone – roughly a 50 percent reduction in gross production,” he said. “I expect those numbers to go down this year as well.” Last year in the month of August, the school collected $40,000; “this year we collected $3,500,” during the same period, he said. “So that kind of lets you know what's staring us in the face right now.”

The ad valorem tax protests are another concern.

“The other thing that makes me nervous is obviously the protested taxes,” he said. He said he called the county assessor, who had just received “the numbers” that will provide better information about what's ahead in terms of tax protests. She didn't want to talk about it, though, until she'd had a chance to analyze them.

“We know Targa's going to protest their taxes, so where we stand I don't know. That money is held in a different account until (the lawsuit) is settled, which could take three years,” he said.

However, there is some good news; the school has managed to carry over a good sum.

Last year, the school's expenditures were about $4 million, much of that due to construction, Smith said. “We collected $5.1 million last year, so we collected a million more than what we spent, so we've got a little bit of wiggle room.” Also, the building fund carryover is $2.1 million.

“So financially we seem pretty sound; we've got money in the bank,” he said. “But we're in a time of the unknown as far as what we're going to collect this year.”

School, Sports Struggle for Normalcy

In other news, the work on the roof is holding up, Smith said; they had no leaks during the recent rains, though he'd like to see how it holds up under a real gully washer. A few doors still need locks installed, but other than that the construction work is largely done. “We're coming to an end of those headaches,” he said.

Football and softball started practice Monday, Aug. 10. “As far as the OSSAA is concerned, they said they're going to proceed as normal, but that can change at any moment. We'll proceed with as much safety as we can,” Smith said.

School looks very different so far this year, and the teachers and students are all doing their best to adjust. Along with new paint and newly decorated rooms, outdated curriculum has been purged and online opportunities expanded.

Everyone's temperatures are scanned before they walk in the door; breakfast is served in the classrooms; visitors can't go past the main office, including parents. Parents, teachers, and everyone involved “will have to show a little grace and patience,” said Elementary Principal Patricia Burrows.

Hallways huddle – when elementary students do the flag salute, learn the word of the week, and other similar activities – is also being staggered so that all students aren't in the hallway at the same time.

Students are picked up in the same place, but buses are loaded on the north side now. Lunch times are staggered, and students have seating charts in the cafeteria; bathrooms breaks and trips to the library are planned; time spent cleaning has expanded enormously.

“It's a huge adjustment,” she said, “but everyone understands the importance of working together.”

Enrollment is still in process but was largely complete as of Monday.

About 100 students are in the elementary/middle school, reported Elementary Principal Patricia Burrow, but not all are enrolled yet.

In the high school, enrollment was “sitting at 59 as of Friday,” said Junior High and High School Principal Dustin Smith. Enrollment isn't quite complete; he expects final enrollment to be in the mid-60s, he said. He expects enrollment to be in the mid-90s for grades 7 through 12. Four students in the junior/high school have begun the application process to learn virtually. The school interviews these students first to make sure they have all the tools they will need to be able to learn successfully through the virtual education option.

Most, if not all, of the school's juniors and seniors are seriously considering some form of post-secondary education, he said. “We've got five or six deciding about going to Career Tech. Three are doing concurrent (studies at the college): AP (advanced placement) Biology, AP Literature, and AP Government.

Students have been getting organized, with the FFA electing officers and FCCLA officers being chosen the night of the meeting, Smith said.

Teachers have worked tirelessly getting up to speed with new technology, new curriculum, and new ways of helping children learn. “The teachers haven't batted an eye,” Smith said. “Everything we've thrown at them, they've been like, 'let's do it! Let's get to work!”

Other Board Business

The board approved a number of housekeeping items for this school year, including:

• the contract for Secondary Career and Technology Education programs,

• dual enrollment credits in math and science from Northwest Technology Center (NWTC),

• dual enrollment credits from NWTC through Edgenuity, an OSDE-approved online curriculum,

• Brooke Meyer as an adjunct instructor for anatomy and physiology,

• American Fidelity Assurance Company to serve as Waynoka's Section 125 Plan,

• 2020-21 school year hours to total 1080,

• Internal Attendance Review Committee,

• mentor teachers

• Safe School Advisory Committee

• Healthy and Fit School Advisory Committee

• fundraiser requests.

The board also approved the consent agenda, which consisted of prior meeting minutes; reports on and encumbrances for the general, building, activity and bond funds; and change orders.

 

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